The Chosen One: To build a better future
by goolou20
Summary: A letter is sent back to Harry summarising the future following Mr Weasley's attack, along with 3 books. The trio know the future but now its time for them, the Order and some DA memebers to read about it.
1. Chapter 1

Harry was sitting in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place immersed in his bitter thoughts and feelings that he had had ever since returning from the hospital. He could hear Sirius's voice echoing through the floor from downstairs as he watched the sky grow whiter with the threatening snowfall. Suddenly there was a flash of blue and gold temporally blinding Harry from his spot by the window. Listening intently for any dangers that could have occurred in the room while fingering his wand, he realised that whatever just happened, it happened silently, explaining the lack of shouting and running footsteps. Blinking rapidly as his sight returned Harry scanned the room for any changes and was shocked to see three books piled on the desk, spines facing away from him. On top was a letter addressed to himself. After completing a check of the room Harry edged toward the desk and using his wand slide the letter off the books, being careful to avoid all contact with them. Slitting it open Harry began to read.

_Dear Harry, _

_We know this might be hard for you to believe but we're sending you this note from the future, along with several books detailing your final years – including this one – at Hogwarts. This is a summary of everything that happens and what you need and deserve to know, we know some of these have already happened but bear with us. _

_Dudley gets attacked by Dementors, you get tried at the ministry but get cleared of all charges, Umbridge starts working at the school where you get those awful detentions and you finally get a vision of Mr Weasley being attacked by Nagini while on guard duty. Now is time for the things you haven't been clued in on and the stuff that happens in the future._

_Sirius has told you about the weapon but it is in fact a prophecy stored in the Department of Mysteries which is where the Order are guarding it. If you think about it you should recognise the corridor from your dreams. The prophecy was told to Dumbledore by Trelawney and it said that a child would be born at the end of July to parents that had thrice defied Voldemort, he would then mark him as his equal and you would have a power that he doesn't know about (we're afraid it isn't something really cool, it's simply love); finally neither can live while the other survives. Voldemort only heard half the prophecy which is why he came after you and he wants to hear the other half which is why he's dwelling on the door._

_You should know that Voldemort isn't possessing you, he tries to once in the future but both of you end up in absolute agony which is why it doesn't happen again. Dumbledore is going to come to you before the end of the Christmas holidays – we're sad to say he still won't look you in the eye until the end of the year but hopefully with the books help you'll be able to change that. He will tell you that you've got to take Occlumency lessons with Snape. The point of the lessons is that you're meant to close the connection to Voldemort's mind but it isn't because of Voldemort possessing you but rather that he can send you a fake vision. They obviously neglect to tell you that and in fact the lessons actually widen the connection rather than close it. Snape, whether it's because he's a bad teacher or because he hates you due to your father never really explains how you're meant to close your mind off so each time he attacks your mind it makes you instead more open to the connection. Many things happen this year which results in most of the Order members stationed at Hogwarts to be out of commission when you finally receive the false vision. You try to validate whether it's true or not even though you've not been told it could be a mistake, but in the end you go to the ministry to rescue Sirius as the vision told of him being captured and tortured there. When the Order find out they come to help and it results in Sirius dying at Bellatrix's hand. We're hoping with this knowledge that you can now prevent this._

_The next year Dumbledore shares his theory on how Voldemort is still alive. He creates something called a Horcrux. This is very Dark and Evil magic which involves him splitting his soul apart and locking it away in an object so he can't die as long as it is intact. 7 is the magic number Harry. 7 horcruxes which are: obviously Voldemort himself, Nagini, Riddle's diary, his Grandfather's ring, Hufflepuff's cup, Slytherin's locket and Ravenclaw's diadem. The diary you've obviously already destroyed, the ring is found in Gaunt Cottage, the locket … well it's actually at Grimmauld Place but you'll have to ask Kreacher – nicely! – where it is, the diadem is in the room of requirement in the place of hidden objects and sadly the cup is in the Lestrange Vault at Gringotts. To find out how we know all this you'll have to read the books but you should read them with the Order, Weasleys, Hermione, Neville and Luna. A lot of people are damaged or die during the course of the war; you in fact are hit with the killing curse again but survive and do end up defeating Voldemort. The reason for this will become clear in the end but that particular piece of knowledge isn't really needed yet in this letter. We hope that you will be able to build a better future and prevent the death toll. _

_Love from,_

_The Future_

_P.S. A new timeline sprung up the moment we sent this so we can't send you anymore information or help. Oh and something we should probably mention, make sure no-one attacks Snape. Dumbledore does something stupid which results in him dying slowly next year. He arranges his death with Snape so Voldemort thinks he knows where his true loyalty lies. Unfortunately Dumbledore doesn't feel the need to tell anyone else this so no-one knows, at least not until the end of the books. You can tell people he's innocent when it comes to it to stop people attacking but keep the information here secret from everyone but Hermione and Ron, Ginny is also trustworthy but we know that she isn't really included in the group yet. Hermione will be arriving later today so you don't have to worry about finding her. They'll all the know the truth in the end and we agreed that it'll probably do Dumbledore some good to be kept out of the loop for the meanwhile._

Harry stared at the letter not really comprehending it. Was it some kind at sick joke? So much of it made sense, like the prophecy. It felt like a confirmation of everything he already knew and yet it said that Sirius dies in the future. How could that be? He only just got him back. Harry could remotely still hear him singing from somewhere in the house. He read it again. They knew about his dreams. No-one knew about them. Then again if this was some trick of Voldemort's and he could possess him like he had been fearing not 10 minutes ago then surely he would know about Harry's dreams. _Hermione will be arriving later today …_ the letter said. Well there's nothing else for it Harry thought, he would just have to wait and see if she would come, if she did then he would believe the letter wholly, if she didn't then he would show Sirius the letter and leave it with him to decide what to do with the obvious trap. Glancing at the books Harry realised that trap or not he couldn't just leave the books out in the open like that and so grabbing one of the sacks left over from the cleaning purge he nudged the books inside before exiting the room. Half way down the corridor he heard Mrs Weasley call him down for lunch but half out of the left over resentment and half out of fear for their safety he instead retreated further upstairs before reaching the refuge of Buckbeak's room.

The letter circled around his head for the next few hours despite his attempts to not think about it. Hermione was skiing with her parents so why would she be here? If he wasn't being possessed then why would Mad-eye say something like that? Why wouldn't Dumbledore look at him? So many questions buzzed around his head that when the doorbell rang at 6 he hardly recognised it, it was only once Mrs Black started screaming that he realised what happened and scrambled up, grabbing the sack along the way, to see who had come to call. He was half way along the second floor when he saw her leaving his and Ron's room.

Heart hammering in his chest he called out, "Hermione, what are you doing here?"

Jumping about a foot in the air Hermione span around and gasped, "Oh Harry, you almost gave me a heart attack! I was just looking for you, I decided to come here instead." Lowering her voice she whispered, "truth be told skiing isn't really my thing but don't tell Ron that, I told him it's really good because he kept laughing so much." Returning her voice to normal volume she proceeded with, "Anyway lets go into your room, I don't really feel like talking in the corridor plus Ron's mum has lit a fire in there and she's sent up sandwiches."

Feeling incredibly numb Harry dumbly followed her into the room and was only slightly surprised to see Ron and Ginny already sitting on Ron's bed under the weight of all the confusing feelings, thoughts and revelations.

"I came on the Knight Bus," said Hermione airily, pulling off her jacket before Harry had time to speak. "Dumbledore told me what had happened first thing this morning, but I had to wait for term to end officially before setting off. Umbridge is already livid that you lot disappeared right under her nose, even though Dumbledore told her Mr. Weasley was in St. Mungo's and he'd given you all permission to visit. So…"

She sat down next to Ginny, and the two girls and Ron all looked up at Harry.

"How're you feeling?" asked Hermione.

Harry realised he was gaping at them all and also recognised that her question was probably related to how he felt before he had received the letter. Thought after thought swirled around his head before settling on the letter was real. It was telling the truth and before he realised he'd said anything he voiced the thought lightening his heart, "I'm not being possessed."

Looking at him wide-eyed Ginny suddenly shook her head and said, "Well of course not, it seems to me that you would know if that was happening, especially after what happened with me." All Harry's thoughts stopped mid-process as they heard Ginny's statement. He had forgotten. He was such an idiot. He had spent all that time avoiding them as much as they had apparently been avoiding him when he could have just talked to Ginny about it. "I'm sorry Ginny." Harry spoke while staring at her.

"It's OK Harry", Ginny replied simply.

Harry started to pace as the enormity of his situation began to catch up with him. Without even realising it he knew that he'd already accepted half of what was said in the letter before Hermione had even arrived.

"Harry?" Ron questioned as they all watched Harry's sudden change in behaviour.

Stopping and facing them Harry said, "just give me two minutes to sort my thoughts out. Something happened earlier that … well I …" and with that he resumed pacing while the others looked on in complete bewilderment. The letter was right so the books must really be about the future. It also said that Ginny could be trusted and after all wasn't she in the same boat as them. The Order refused to tell any of us the information we needed to hear, she too was treated like a kid by the majority of the Order when she obviously wasn't, hadn't she reminded him moments ago that she had already been through experiences that even some 'older and wiser' witches and wizards hadn't had. She was also a member of the DA, trustworthy and a friend. With that final thought Harry turned around and explained what had happened that morning.

"… the letter said that Hermione would be coming here today so I decided to wait and see if that was true before doing anything else. The weapon that Sirius spoke about is actually a prophecy stored in the Department of Mysteries, which was where your dad was while on guard duty when he was attacked. The letter also said that the books, which are in the sack over there," Harry said pointing to the foot of his bed where he had dropped it earlier "should be read by us lot, the Order, Weasleys, Neville and Luna. But that what was said in the letter should be kept between us for the moment. It said that everything would be revealed in the books but given they kept us in the dark, especially Dumbledore, it wont harm them to keep them waiting for the truth. There are some bits in here that I'm not sure even I understand fully but if you want to know something and I happen to know along the way of reading the books then I'll tell you away from the others."

As Harry finished his speech he looked at each of them and saw them all slack-jawed and wide-eyed in shock. The first to recover was Hermione who in a clear state of denial said, "It's impossible to send something back in time. I mean you can travel through time we know this, but no more than 12 hours into the past and if those books are written up til the end of our 7th year then that's 3 years! I mean –"

"Hermione, I know it sounds crazy, and if the books are cursed or something then Dumbledore will be able to tell us right? If these are just normal books then what's the harm in reading them? The letter said that people die two of them are at least Sirius and Dumbledore. I refuse to lose either one and can you really say that if the future plays out like it's said the books that we aren't to blame as much as their killers are when we had the tools to prevent it!" Harry exclaimed. "Let's just see what Dumbledore says ok?"

Exchanging glances with Ron – Ginny was looking fiercely at Harry, her decision already evident – Hermione could do nothing but nod her head in defeat of Harry's heated logic.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I would like to thank everyone for their great reviews, I can't begin to say how happy I was reading them I'm in the middle of my exam period at Uni at the moment so I haven't been updating as often as I'd like but hopefully that'll change when June hits. I don't own anything.**

Following Sirius's singing they found him at the top of the stairs putting hats on the house elves heads.

"Sirius, could we have a word with you for a moment?" Harry asked. Sirius who had stopped singing when Harry had started talking but had continued to smile at him turned more serious as the tone of Harry's voice reached him.

"Sure thing, let's use Remus's room, he's on Guard Duty at the moment and I don't think he'll mind." The group trooped into the room on their immediate right and proceeded to explain about the letter and the books. "But what did the letter exactly say?" Sirius questioned.

"I'm sorry Sirius but most of it was a personal message so I can't tell you all of it, the bit that I can tell you though, is that a new timeline had started from the moment the books were sent back, we're meant to read these with the rest of the Weasleys, Neville, Luna and the Order. And I think I should mention that because of the letter we know a lot more stuff than even the Order knows so you can just tell that to the others if anyone objects. In here are the books," Harry said handing Sirius the sack "so Dumbledore and whoever else can check them for curses and whatnot to make sure they are actually safe to read."

Looking down at the sack in his hand and back to Harry he studied him for a minute before going, "Alright. Go inform the twins, I'll go tell Dumbledore and round up the Order, meet us down in the kitchen in 2 hours. That's just so we can have enough time to get everyone you've said and check the books."

2 hours later the trio, Ginny, Fred and George poured into the kitchen into the midst of mass chatter among the Order members, a few of which Harry recognised as those involved in his escape from Private Drive, along with Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Looking exceptionally pale Neville was sat inbetween McGonagall and Luna, who in turn was sitting next to Tonks. Harry took the seat opposite Luna, next to Sirius while Hermione and Ron took the seats on his right.

Neville leaned across the table to them and said, "Guys what's going on? Dumbledore came to my house and asked my Gran if he could borrow me for a few days on important business and now I'm sitting in a kitchen with my teachers, a weird bunch of people and an escaped Death Eater!"

"Death Eater?" Harry asked. Neville looked pointedly at Harry's left. "Oh no, Sirius is innocent, Neville."

"What?"

"Peter Pettigrew, one of the people he supposedly murdered," spat Harry "is actually an illegal animagus who can turn himself into a rat. He was the one who killed all those people Neville, not Sirius."

Neville looked at him completely stunned. He turned to look at Sirius who was engaged in an animated discussion with Lupin and Tonks. 'Well he certainly didn't seem like a mass murderer' Neville thought and Harry had never had a reason to lie about something as serious as this, if he couldn't believe Harry then surely he was as bad as the ministry. Turning back to Harry he gave him a small smile and a nod showing he believed him.

Just then Dumbledore appeared in a flash of fire, the books under one arm.

"Oh good, everyone is here. I've left directions with Professor Flitwick to keep an eye on Dolores for the next few days. She was certainly most displeased to discover that you had all escaped Hogwarts without her knowledge." Dumbledore said smiling at the Weasley children. "As you know, we've been left with instructions to read these books which certainly appear to have been sent from the future –"

"Even if these books are about the future I still don't see why the children are here! Surely this should be handled by the adults, Albus!"

"Mrs Weasley" Harry spoke quietly but every head span to face him, "we have just as much a right to know about the future as you do, we didn't have to share this information with you but we did so anyway. How many people have faced Voldemort in this room? My total is now up to 4 if you count the time in the Chamber of Secrets, where by the way me and Ron rescued your daughter from certain death. Just because you want us to be safe doesn't mean it'll happen. We're at war, you might not want us informed but I think everyone here has as much right to know out future."

Harry hadn't meant to say it as harshly as he had, he supposed the it was the anger at once again trying to be left out of the loop, the irritation at being referred to as a child that made it come out that way.

Mrs Weasley simply gapped at him for a moment before sinking back into the seat from which she had stood up when pleading with Dumbledore. Sirius was looking at him with mixed pride and confusion though he didn't say anything. Harry guessed that he didn't know about his first and second year encounters with Voldemort.

"Since when did Harry get so good at his speech making abilities?" Fred muttered to George.

"Dunno, he was always quite good in the DA I guess."

"Alright then," Dumbledore spoke "If no-one else has anything else to say perhaps we should get cracking on." Picking up the top book reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix he proceeded to the reading. "**Dudley Demented** –"

"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt but can't we start from the Christmas period or something, we already know what happened then." Harry said, slightly impatient to know the future but mostly knowing everything he was thinking and feeling at the beginning of the summer period was certainly something he did not want everyone to know about.

"The past can be just as educational as the future Harry, plus I'm sure Mr Longbottom and Miss Lovegood don't know the entire circumstances around your Dementor encounter." Dumbledore responded, looking intently at Harry's shoulder as he did so. Annoyed that Dumbledore was still doing that, but knowing it wouldn't be for long Harry nodded seeing it wouldn't be an argument he would win.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hey firstly I'm glad you guys are liking what you read, I'm sorry it me so long, not including the actual book, what I wrote was actually longer than both my first and second chapter combined. I think my exams went ok, I just hope I got enough to get onto the course I want for next year, but thank you all for wishing me luck.  
><strong>**I totally agree Lady Luna Riddle about Molly Weasley, I mean its great that she's trying to protect them but she goes to extremes that actually endanger them more than protect them.  
>Anniriel I think that there will sometimes where Sirius and Remus do get to know about his first and second years - I've already mentioned the Chamber of Secrets which is something Remus made a mental note to ask about. I want the information to come out to them in parts though as I don't want just a load of information being thrown at them. But the first thing I want to come out is Harry's home life as I never understood why the blood wards provide more protection than the fidelius charm.<br>Kitty279 you're so far my favourite reviewer, someone after my own heart lol. I like the long reviews people so don't be shy, even if it isn't all positive (but please be positive as this is my only story :))  
>I don't own anything ... probably ;)<strong>

**"D****udley Demented,"** Dumbledore began again.

**The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive. Cars that were usually gleaming stood dusty in their drives and lawns that were once emerald green lay parched and yellowing; the use of hosepipes had been banned due to drought. Deprived of their usual car-washing and lawn-mowing pursuits, the inhabitants of Privet Drive had retreated into the shade of their cool houses, windows thrown wide in the hope of tempting in a nonexistent breeze. The only person left outdoors was a teenage boy who was lying flat on his back in a flowerbed outside number four.**

Ginny asked, "Why were you in the flowerbed Harry?"

"I was listening to the news because I wasn't getting it from anywhere else." Harry simply stated with only a faint trace of bitterness underlying it. Pre-empting the question that Ginny just opened her mouth to ask he said, "There was no chance of listening to the news in the same room as my Aunt and Uncle at the time but I'm sure if we read it'll be explained."

**He was a skinny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who had the pinched, slightly unhealthy look of someone who has grown a lot in a short space of time. His jeans were torn and dirty, his T-shirt baggy and faded, and the soles of his trainers were peeling away from the uppers. **

To this Harry saw in his peripheral vision Sirius turning to really look at his appearance. Harry was wearing a pair of too-large jeans and a jumper that was only 2 sizes too big for him, the sleeves of which were dotted with holes. He was glad when Sirius didn't question him on his attire but had the sneaky suspicion that he was going to be asked about it later.

**Harry Potter's appearance did not endear him to the neighbours, who were the sort of people who thought scruffiness ought to be punishable by law, **

"You know Harry, they're probably only saying that because Twittlebys were around," said Luna, "they make people see mess as a bad thing, but they only live a couple feet above the lowest surface, it's the reason daddy built our house on top of a hill."

Everyone barring those who already knew the Lovegoods stared at her, not sure if she was serious or not; Moody's normal eye looking at her suspiciously.

"Thank you for letting me know that Luna, has your farther, the editor of the Quibbler," Harry added in to explain to the others her strange remarks, "done an article on them before?"

"Oh yes, there was one published at the beginning of the summer, they seem more prominent then, I suppose it's because they like the heat."

**but as he had hidden himself behind a large hydrangea** **bush this evening he was quite invisible to passers-by. In fact, the only way he would be spotted was if his Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia stuck their heads out of the living-room window and looked straight down into the flowerbed below.**

**On the whole, Harry thought he was to be congratulated on his idea of hiding here. **

"Congratulations!" The twins cheered.

**He was not, perhaps, very comfortable lying on the hot, hard earth but, on the other hand, nobody was glaring at him, grinding their teeth so loudly that he could not hear the news, or shooting nasty questions at him, as had happened every time he had tried sitting down in the living room to watch television with his aunt and uncle.**

**Almost as though this thought had fluttered through the open window, Vernon Dursley, Harry's uncle, suddenly spoke.**

"**Glad to see the boy's stopped trying to butt in. Where is he, anyway?"**

"The boy?" questioned Mrs Weasley.

"It's what they call me, have done for as long as I remember so it's not a big deal."

Mrs Weasley looked rather upset at this comment. "But it is a big deal, you're their nephew, even when you're not around they should at least call you by your name."

Harry shared an incredulous look with Ron before saying, "Mrs Weasley, these are the same people who put bars on my window and were starving me 4 summers ago. I don't know why you expect better manners from them after your sons told you that when we got to the Burrow. You've seen them at the station too, I really don't know why you're finding _that_ so shocking."

Mrs Weasley seemed to grow paler and paler with each word Harry spoke to her. Fred and George were looking at him in awe at not only having talked back to their mother but also defending their past actions. Ron's head was bowed but it seemed like he was trying to keep a smirk off his face – he knew the Dursleys were horrible people and having been one of the people to rescue him that summer saw firsthand that this was the case. Ron also knew that Harry hated talking about his home life and the only reason he'd brought it up now was to hopefully shut his mum up for the rest of the chapter. Hermione and Ginny who both knew Harry's relations weren't nice people but had never heard of this before looked rather upset by this revelation; however this was nothing on Sirius.

"You knew?" Sirius asked in a dangerously low voice. "You knew and never did anything about it? You say that _I'm_ the irresponsible one! I've always listened to what Harry has to say, I –"

"Sirius, I think you've made your point and I'm sure that if Molly thought for one second that it was true she would have done something about it." Remus interrupted.

The strain of everything that had happened seemed to catch up with her as she said, "Of course I would have but … I thought the boys were exaggerating and making stuff up trying to justify why they had stolen the car. Oh I'm so sorry Harry."

"It really isn't me that you should be apologising to."

Mrs Weasley looked at Fred, George and Ron before apologising. The twins looked like they'd been hit around the head while Ron's ears turned bright red.

"S'okay mum." Ron mumbled still looking down at the table.

"Yeah, it's fine" said Fred.

"But we would like it if you had a little more faith in us in the future" George answered.

Fred, seeing where George was going with it said, "That's true. We wouldn't lie or anything about something so serious."

"Yes, of course boys, thank you."

Dumbledore looked at the interaction with twinkling eyes before Sirius turned and started talking to him.

"He's not going back Dumbledore, this place has fidelius charm so this place is certainly well protected."

"I'm sorry Sirius but as I've said before, Harry needs to go back to Privet Drive for at least a little while each summer for the blood wards." His tone rang with an unspoken authority but it was obvious that Sirius was still going to argue Harry's case so Dumbledore resumed reading.

"**I don't know," said Aunt Petunia, unconcerned. "Not in the house."**

**Uncle Vernon grunted.**

"**Watching the news…" he said scathingly."I'd like to know what he's really up to. As if a normal boy cares what's on the news - Dudley hasn't got a clue what's going on; doubt he knows who the Prime Minister is! Anyway, it's not as if there'd be anything about his lot on our news–"**

"**Vernon, shh!" said Aunt Petunia. "The window's open!"**

"**Oh - yes - sorry, dear."**

**The Dursleys fell silent. Harry listened to a jingle about Fruit 'n' Bran breakfast cereal while he watched Mrs. Figg, a batty cat-loving old lady from nearby Wisteria Walk, amble slowly past.**

Tonks couldn't help the snort that accompanied that statement, alleviating some of the left over tension from before. Remus turned to his left, "And what, may I ask, do you find funny?"

She just grinned and said, "I just loved Arabella's description is all."

**She was frowning and muttering to herself.**

"Well that certainly wasn't helping her case on the batty side of things" Tonks joked.

**Harry was very pleased he was concealed behind the bush, as Mrs. Figg had recently taken to asking him around for tea whenever she met him in the street. She had rounded the corner and vanished from view before Uncle Vernon's voice floated out of the window again.**

"**Dudders out for tea?"**

"Dudders!" exclaimed the twins, picking up their old stride. Sirius, Tonks, Ron, Ginny and Neville joined the twins in their laughter whilst everyone else just smiled at them, with the obvious exceptions.

"**At the Polkisses'," said Aunt Petunia fondly. "He's got so many little friends, he's so popular."**

**Harry suppressed a snort with difficulty.**

"Why?"

"You'll see."

**The Dursleys really were astonishingly stupid about their son, Dudley. They had swallowed all his dim-witted lies about having tea with a different member of his gang every night of the summer holidays. Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley had not been to tea anywhere; he and his gang spent every evening vandalizing the play park, smoking on street corners and throwing stones at passing cars and children.**

"What terrible children" McGonagall said surprisingly.

**Harry had seen them at it during his evening walks around Little Whinging; he had spent most of the holidays wandering the streets, scavenging newspapers from bins along the way.**

**The opening notes of the music that heralded the seven o'clock news reached Harry's ears and his stomach turned over. Perhaps tonight - after a month of waiting - would be the night.**

Ron and Hermione shot apologetic looks at Harry, remembering what he had told them when he first arrived at Grimmauld Place. Harry simply shook his head at them knowing it wasn't really their fault and it wasn't like they didn't know anything now.

Neville however didn't have this same understanding as the others and so asked, "What are you waiting for Harry?"

"I wasn't being told anything about Voldemort and The Prophet obviously wasn't saying anything so I had to resort to listening to the muggle news for information."

Sirius scooted his chair closer to Harry's and put an arm around the back of his chair. Harry looked up at Sirius, giving him a small smile, letting him know that he didn't blame him for the lack of information.

**"Record numbers of stranded holiday makers fill air ports as the Spanish baggage-handlers' strike reaches its second week –"**

"**Give 'em a lifelong siesta, I would," snarled Uncle Vernon over the end of the newsreader's sentence, but no matter: outside in the flowerbed, Harry's stomach seemed to unclench. **

Luna asked suddenly, "Are you alright Harry? That sounded quite painful."

"Yes thank you Luna, it really didn't hurt at all." Harry couldn't help smiling indulgingly at her.

**If anything had happened, it would surely have been the first item on the news; death and destruction were more important than stranded holidaymakers.**

**He let out a long, slow breath and stared up at the brilliant blue sky. Every day this summer had been the same: the tension, the expectation, the temporary relief, and then mounting tension again… and always, growing more insistent all the time, the question of why nothing had happened yet.**

**He kept listening, just in case there was some small clue, not recognized for what it really was by the Muggles - an unexplained disappearance, perhaps, or some strange accident… but the baggage-handlers' strike was followed by news about the drought in the Southeast ("I hope he's listening next door!" bellowed Uncle Vernon. "Him with his sprinklers on at three in the morning!"), then a helicopter that had almost crashed in a field in Surrey, then a famous actress's divorce from her famous husband ("As if we're interested in their sordid affairs," sniffed Aunt Petunia, who had followed the case obsessively in every magazine she could lay her bony hands on).**

**Harry closed his eyes against the now blazing evening sky as the newsreader said, "-and finally, Bungy the budgie has found a novel way of keeping cool this summer. Bungy, who lives at the Five Feathers in Barnsley, has learned to water ski! Mary Dorkins went to find out more."**

"Hmm, my dearest twin"

"Yes, George?"

"Of course, but I think more research should be done first."

"Yes that was what I was thinking too, but definitely to be done to our beloved Inquisitor?"

"Without a doubt."

"Fred, George, I forbid you from doing whatever you're planning" said Mrs Weasley sternly, to which they just smiled innocently back at her.

**Harry opened his eyes. If they had reached water-skiing budgerigars, there would be nothing else worth hearing. He rolled cautiously on to his front and raised himself on to his knees and elbows, preparing to crawl out from under the window.**

**He had moved about two inches when several things happened in very quick succession.**

"What?" cried Neville leaning forwards.

**A loud, echoing crack broke the sleepy silence like a gunshot; a cat streaked out from under a parked car and flew out of sight; a shriek, a bellowed oath and the sound of breaking china came from the Dursleys' living room, and as though this was the signal Harry had been waiting for he jumped to his feet, at the same time pulling from the waistband of his jeans a thin wooden wand as if he were unsheathing a sword**

"Good reactions laddie, the world could do with a few more people like you" growled Moody whilst Tonks and Kingsley nodded in agreement.

Harry couldn't help but blush at the praise, so of course Tonks leaned slightly across the table before stage whispering, "He was rather impressed with you when we came to collect you, wouldn't let me live it down that someone almost 10 years than me was more vigilant. Although you did let yourself down with the elementary wand safety." To which she then withdrew her wand gave him a quick wink before slipping it behind her ear.

"Tonks!" barked Moody.

"Yes?" She replied with a look of quizzical innocence that Harry could only dream of achieving, one that the twins had perfected except hers was believable. Moody looked like he was able to burst into a lecture but before he could, Remus slid the wand out from behind her ear, placed it in her hand and smirking slightly said, "I don't think now is the best time to aggravate Moody."

Remus and the others couldn't help but chuckle at her disappointed pout as she stowed her wand back in her pocket.

**- but before he could draw himself up to full height, the top of his head collided with the Dursleys' open window.**

**The resultant crash made Aunt Petunia scream even louder.**

**Harry felt as though his head had been split in two. Eyes streaming, he swayed, trying to focus on the street to spot the source of the noise, but he had barely staggered upright when two large purple hands reached through the open window and closed tightly around his throat.**

"What!" almost everyone exclaimed, the previous laughter forgotten.

"He's strangling you!" Molly Weasley shouted.

"Harry, has he ever done something like that before?" Sirius asked, turning Harry's head to look at him.

"No, I mean it use to be Dudley that would bully me as a kid, but I usually got away. He doesn't dare do that now because he's too scared of magic." Harry said trying to reassure him. It was true that his Uncle never hit him except from the occasional clouts round the head but Harry felt it best not to mention when his Uncle pin him up against the wall while he was threatening him, nor that his arms were constantly bruised from where he'd been grabbed and definitely didn't want to say about the times where he was simply thrown across a room or into his cupboard and that one time when this happened he had hit his head against the wall and knocked himself out. Harry knew Sirius would want to know but he didn't want to him to feel guilty as he knew he would for not being there for Harry as he grew up. He couldn't bare the looks of sympathy and horror that would surely be on the majority of everyone's faces, and most of all he knew it would all be for naught as Dumbledore would still end up sending him back there.

Sirius looked Harry straight in the eye before nodding and releasing him, before pulling him into his side. Harry looked down thoroughly embarrassed but also sensing that Sirius didn't fully believe him and that the nod was for the benefit of the room, he suspected it would be another thing Sirius would be talking to him about later.

"**Put - it-away!" Uncle Vernon snarled into Harry's ear. "Now! Before- anyone - sees!"**

"**Get - off - me!" Harry gasped. For a few seconds they struggled, Harry pulling at his uncle's sausage-like fingers with his left hand, his right maintaining a firm grip on his raised wand; then, as the pain in the top of Harry's head gave a particularly nasty throb, Uncle Vernon yelped and released Harry as though he had received an electric shock. Some invisible force seemed to have surged through his nephew, making him impossible to hold.**

"Accidental magic?" Lupin asked temporarily surprised out of the anger that had filled him while reading.

Harry nodded mutely before saying, "it happens sometimes."

"Really?" Hermione questioned diverted, "I've never heard of someone over the age of eleven doing that. What does it mean?"

"I believe Miss Granger, that it means Harry is a rather powerful wizard." Dumbledore said smiling over the top of the book as Harry turned a Weasley red.

**Panting, Harry fell forwards over the hydrangea bush, straightened up and stared around. There was no sign of what had caused the loud cracking noise, but there were several faces peering through various nearby windows. Harry stuffed his wand hastily back into his jeans and tried to look innocent.**

"Ha, I've got a feeling you didn't pull that one off mate." Ron laughed, and Harry being the more mature one stuck his tongue out at him.

"**Lovely evening!" shouted Uncle Vernon, waving at Mrs. Number Seven, who was glaring from behind her net curtains. "Did you hear that car backfire just now? Gave Petunia and me quite a turn!"**

**He continued to grin in a horrible, manic way until all the curious neighbours had disappeared from their various windows, then the grin became a grimace of rage as he beckoned Harry back towards him.**

"Touch one hair on his head Dursley, I dare you" Sirius said fiercely under his breath. Looking around the table Harry was slightly scared and touched that many people seemed to be agreeing with Sirius's sentiments given the furious glares the book was receiving.

**Harry moved a few steps closer, taking care to stop just short of the point at which Uncle Vernon's outstretched hands could resume their strangling.**

Sirius gave Harry a quick squeeze as though to reassure himself that Harry was in fact in the kitchen.

"**What the devil do you mean by it, boy?" asked Uncle Vernon in a croaky voice that trembled with fury.**

"**What do I mean by what?" said Harry coldly. He kept looking left and right up the street, still hoping to see the person who had made the cracking noise.**

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody shouted only causing about a quarter of the table to jump.

"**Making a racket like a starting pistol right outside our –"**

"**I didn't make that noise," said Harry firmly.**

**Aunt Petunia's thin, horsy face now appeared beside Uncle Vernon's wide, purple one. She looked livid.**

"**Why were you lurking under our window?"**

"**Yes - yes, good point, Petunia! What were you doing under our window, boy?"**

"**Listening to the news," said Harry in a resigned voice.**

**His aunt and uncle exchanged looks of outrage.**

"Oh for heaven's sake, what on earth is wrong with listening to the news?" Hermione burst out angrily, "Nothing, honestly Harry I don't know how you turned out so well given you had to live with them for so many years."

Many looked at her shocked.

"What?" Rather than answer everyone turned to face Dumbledore again.

"**Listening to the news! Again?"**

"**Well, it changes every day, you see," said Harry.**

"Nice" Fred and George said while Harry and Ron hi-fived.

"Lily had a cheeky wit like yours too Harry."

Harry turned to him and said, "Really?"

Sirius, Remus and most surprisingly Snape all nodded. Although it looked like it pained him greatly to do so. At hearing how he was like his mother Harry smiled widely, perhaps the most authentic smile to have been on his face since returning to the house. It broke Ginny's heart a little to see it there after so long.

"**Don't you be clever with me, boy! I want to know what you're really up to - and don't give me any more of this listening to the news tosh! You know perfectly well that your lot -"**

"**Careful, Vernon!" breathed Aunt Petunia, and Uncle Vernon lowered his voice so that Harry could barely hear him, "-that your lot don't get on our news!"**

"**That's all you know," said Harry.**

**The Dursleys goggled at him for a few seconds, then Aunt Petunia said, "You're a nasty little liar. What are all those -" she, too, lowered her voice so that Harry had to lip-read the next word, "- owls doing if they're not bringing you news?"**

"**Aha!" said Uncle Vernon in a triumphant whisper. "Get out of that one, boy! As if we didn't know you get all your news from those pestilential birds!"**

**Harry hesitated for a moment. It cost him something to tell the truth this time, even though his aunt and uncle could not possibly know how bad he felt at admitting it.**

"Sorry Harry."

"It's ok, I know it isn't your fault." while sending a slightly accusing look at Dumbledore. He still blamed him for not telling him anything even though he knew everything now.

"**The owls… aren't bringing me news," he said tonelessly.**

"**I don't believe it," said Aunt Petunia at once.**

"**No more do I," said Uncle Vernon forcefully.**

"**We know you're up to something funny," said Aunt Petunia.**

"**We're not stupid, you know," said Uncle Vernon.**

"**Well, that's news to me," said Harry,**

"Oh Harry, be careful." Mrs Weasley said fretfully.

Harry knew it was always going to be a habit of hers to worry no matter what, but hoped that it wouldn't mean her standing in the way of doing whatever is necessary in the fight later.

**his temper rising, and before the Dursleys could call him back, he had wheeled about, crossed the front lawn, stepped over the low garden wall and was striding off up the street.**

**He was in trouble now and he knew it. He would have to face his aunt and uncle later and pay the price for his rudeness, but he did not care very much just at the moment; he had much more pressing matters on his mind.**

**Harry was sure the cracking noise had been made by someone Apparating or Disapparating. It was exactly the sound Dobby the house-elf made when he vanished into thin air. Was it possible that Dobby was here in Privet Drive?**

**Could Dobby be following him right at this very moment?**

"If it was Dobby I don't think he would of allowed himself to stay hidden." Ron said smirking.

"Dobby?" Neville asked, "Was he the house-elf that was in our dorm last Christmas?"

"Yep the very same. I'm glad he's learned since last time when it comes to waking me up, I really didn't appreciate that heart attack" Harry said while Neville and Ron laughed at his expense.

**As this thought occurred he wheeled around and stared back down Privet Drive, but it appeared to be completely deserted and Harry was sure that Dobby did not know how to become invisible.**

**He walked on, hardly aware of the route he was taking, for he had pounded these streets so often lately that his feet carried him to his favourite haunts automatically.**

**Every few steps he glanced back over his shoulder. Someone magical had been near him as he lay among Aunt Petunia's dying begonias, he was sure of it. Why hadn't they spoken to him, why hadn't they made contact, why were they hiding now?**

**And then, as his feeling of frustration peaked, his certainty leaked away.**

**Perhaps it hadn't been a magical sound after all. Perhaps he was so desperate for the tiniest sign of contact from the world to which he belonged that he was simply overreacting to perfectly ordinary noises. Could he be sure it hadn't been the sound of something breaking inside a neighbour's house?**

**Harry felt a dull, sinking sensation in his stomach and before he knew it the feeling of hopelessness that had plagued him all summer rolled over him once again.**

This had been what Harry had been trying to avoid being expressed. Crossing his arms on the table he burrowed his head in them, resolving not to emerge until the Dementor attack.

**Tomorrow morning he would be woken by the alarm at five o'clock so he could pay the owl that delivered the Daily Prophet - but was there any point continuing to take it? Harry merely glanced at the front page before throwing it aside these days; when the idiots who ran the paper finally realized that Voldemort was back it would be headline news, and that was the only kind Harry cared about.**

**If he was lucky, there would also be owls carrying letters from his best friends Ron and Hermione, though any expectation he'd had that their letters would bring him news had long since been dashed.**

Abandoning his resolve for a moment he sent them a look just as they'd opened their mouths that said 'apologise and I'll hex you' before returning his head to his arms.

**We can't say much about you-know-what, obviously… We've been told not to say anything important in case our letters go astray… We're quite busy but I can't give you details here…There's a fair amount going on, we'll tell you everything when we see you…**

**But when were they going to see him? Nobody seemed too bothered with a precise date.**

**Hermione had scribbled I expect we'll be seeing you quite soon inside his birthday card, but how soon was soon? As far as Harry could tell from the vague hints in their letters, Hermione and Ron were in the same place, presumably at Ron's parents' house.**

**He could hardly bear to think of the pair of them having fun at The Burrow when he was stuck in Privet Drive. In fact, he was so angry with them he had thrown away, unopened, the two boxes of Honeydukes chocolates they'd sent him for his birthday.**

"Harry!" exclaimed Sirius, Remus, Fred, George and Ron, whilst Hermione looked a little hurt.

"I'm sorry guys, trust me I regret it later." Harry responded, although a little muffled.

**He'd regretted it later, **

"See!"

**after the wilted salad Aunt Petunia had provided for dinner that night.**

**And what were Ron and Hermione busy with? Why wasn't he, Harry, busy? Hadn't he proved himself capable of handling much more than them? Had they all forgotten what he had done?**

**Hadn't it been he who had entered that graveyard and watched Cedric being murdered, and been tied to that tombstone and nearly killed?**

So far throughout the chapter Snape had been thrown into this world where everything he thought he knew to be true was being shaken, he was grasping to what Dumbledore had just read as proof of Potter's arrogance, just like his father, but a small voice in the back of his head which sounded strangely like Lily, was saying he was justified in feeling that way, he wasn't bragging about it. This internal battle went unnoticed by everyone given Snape's passive face, but a glance from Dumbledore told him that Dumbledore knew what he was thinking and for that he cursed the old man. He wanted Harry to be Potter's son not Lily's…

**Don't think about that, Harry told himself sternly for the hundredth time that summer. It was bad enough that he kept revisiting the graveyard in his nightmares, without dwelling on it in his waking moments too.**

**He turned a corner into Magnolia Crescent; halfway along he passed the narrow alleyway down the side of a garage where he had first clapped eyes on his godfather. **

"Oh so you did see me. Did I ever say sorry for scaring you by the way?" Sirius asked cheerfully, evidently trying to get Harry to emerge again. All he got for his efforts was a "it's fine Sirius."

**Sirius, at least, seemed to understand how Harry was feeling. Admittedly, his letters were just as empty of proper news as Ron and Hermione's, but at least they contained words of caution and consolation instead of tantalizing hints:**

**I know this must be frustrating for you… Keep your nose clean and everything will be okay… Be careful and don't do anything rash…**

Molly looked at Sirius rather shocked while Remus looked at him with slight pride in his amused smile.

"What?" Sirius asked. Molly looked down not wanting to start a fight. 'That was actually really good advice to give' she thought 'maybe I have been too harsh on him. Just because he can be a bit of a rash person doesn't necessarily mean he's a bad godfather.'

"Just you of all people saying not to be rash." Remus said, while Sirius pouted at him.

**Well, thought Harry, as he crossed Magnolia Crescent, turned into Magnolia Road and headed towards the darkening play park, he had (by and large) done as Sirius advised. He had at least resisted the temptation to tie his trunk to his broomstick and set off for The Burrow by himself.**

**In fact, Harry thought his behaviour had been very good considering how frustrated and angry he felt at being stuck in Privet Drive so long, reduced to hiding in flowerbeds in the hope of hearing something that might point to what Lord Voldemort was doing. Nevertheless, it was quite galling to be told not to be rash by a man who had served twelve years in the wizard prison, Azkaban, escaped, attempted to commit the murder he had been convicted for in the first place, then gone on the run with a stolen Hippogriff.**

Everyone let out a snort at this. Remus chuckled saying, "See Harry agrees with me."

"Hey!"

Harry turned his head to face his godfather and smiling and said, "Well?"

Having no response Sirius crossed his arms and 'hmpf'ed.

**Harry vaulted over the locked park gate and set off across the parched grass. The park was as empty as the surrounding streets. When he reached the swings he sank on to the only one that Dudley and his friends had not yet managed to break, coiled one arm around the chain and stared moodily at the ground. He would not be able to hide in the Dursleys' flowerbed again.**

**Tomorrow, he would have to think of some fresh way of listening to the news. In the meantime, he had nothing to look forward to but another restless, disturbed night, because even when he escaped the nightmares about Cedric he had unsettling dreams about long dark corridors. All finishing in dead ends and locked doors, which he supposed had something to do with the trapped feeling he had when he was awake. **

Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at Harry, apparently Harry had been seeing into Voldemort's mind for longer than he realised.

**Often the old scar on his forehead prickled uncomfortably, but he did not fool himself that Ron or Hermione or Sirius would find that very interesting any more. In the past, his scar hurting had warned that Voldemort was getting stronger again, but now that Voldemort was back they would probably remind him that its regular irritation was only to be expected… nothing to worry about… old news…**

"Harry that's not true." Hermione said placing a hand on his shoulder but failing to get a response.

**The injustice of it all welled up inside him so that he wanted to yell with fury. If it hadn't been for him, nobody would even have known Voldemort was back!**

**And his reward was to be stuck in Little Whinging for four solid weeks, completely cut off from the magical world, reduced to squatting among dying begonias so that he could hear about water-skiing budgerigars! How could Dumbledore have forgotten him so easily? Why had Ron and Hermione got together without inviting him along, too?**

**How much longer was he supposed to endure Sirius telling him to sit tight and be a good boy; or resist the temptation to write to the stupid Daily Prophet and point out that Voldemort had returned? These furious thoughts whirled around in Harry's head, and his insides writhed with anger as a sultry, velvety night fell around him, the air full of the smell of warm, dry grass, and the only sound that of the low grumble of traffic on the road beyond the park railings.**

"Uh oh." Sirius said exchanging a look with Remus. Harry turned to look at him again before Sirius continued, "Looks like you've got your mum's temper too. We learnt quickly not to let her brood about something because otherwise she was 10 times worse than Molly when she's angered." Shooting a side-glance at her who's simple response was to glare.

**He did not know how long he had sat on the swing before the sound of voices interrupted his musings and he looked up. The streetlamps from the surrounding roads were casting a misty glow strong enough to silhouette a group of people making their way across the park. One of them was singing a loud, crude song. The others were laughing. A soft ticking noise came from several expensive racing bikes that they were wheeling along.**

**Harry knew who those people were. The figure in front was unmistakably his cousin, Dudley Dursley, wending his way home, accompanied by his faithful gang.**

**Dudley was as vast as ever, but a year's hard dieting and the discovery of a new talent had wrought quite a change in his physique.**

**As Uncle Vernon delightedly told anyone who would listen, Dudley had recently become the Junior Heavyweight Inter-School Boxing Champion of the Southeast. 'The noble sport', as Uncle Vernon called it, had made Dudley even more formidable than he had seemed to Harry in their primary school days when he had served as Dudley's first punching bag. **

This caused many to mutter angrily, whilst Sirius and surprisingly Remus growled quietly.

**Harry was not remotely afraid of his cousin any more but he still didn't think that Dudley learning to punch harder and more accurately was cause for celebration.**

"I should hope not," McGonagall stated stiffly, "Physical violence shouldn't be congratulated, in fact that goes for any type of violence."

**Neighbourhood children all around were terrified of him - even more terrified than they were of 'that Potter boy' who, they had been warned, was a hardened hooligan and attended St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys.**

"What?" was the general outcry again.

"Harry why did you never tell us? I mean we would never hang out with criminals, present company excluded." Fred cried mock-shocked.

Harry raised his head enough to glare down the table before going, "Shut up Fred."

"I'm George."

"Right" Harry said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he returned to his original position in his arms, leaving the twins to look at each other in bewilderment.

**Harry watched the dark figures crossing the grass and wondered who they had been beating up tonight. Look round, Harry found himself thinking as he watched them. Come on… look round… I'm sitting here all alone… come and have a go…**

"Harry!" scolded Mrs Weasley and Hermione.

**If Dudley's friends saw him sitting here, they would be sure to make a beeline for him and what would Dudley do then? He wouldn't want to lose face in front of the gang, but he'd be terrified of provoking Harry… it would be really fun to watch Dudley's dilemma, to taunt him, watch him, with him powerless to respond… and if any of the others tried hitting Harry, he was ready - he had his wand. Let them try… he'd love to vent some of his frustration on the boys who had once made his life hell.**

Snape was starting to feel sick to his stomach. Potter seemed to of had a similar if not worse life than his own when he was 15, and he couldn't help but think that he'd made Potter's life even worse. If Lily was alive he knew she'd of killed him.

**But they didn't turn around, they didn't see him, they were almost at the railings. Harry mastered the impulse to call after them… seeking a fight was not a smart move… he must not use magic… he would be risking expulsion again.**

**The voices of Dudley's gang died away; they were out of sight, heading along Magnolia Road. There you go, Sirius, Harry thought dully. Nothing rash. Kept my nose clean. Exactly the opposite of what you'd have done.**

"Hey!" Nearly everyone just smirked at him.

**He got to his feet and stretched. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon seemed to feel that whenever Dudley turned up was the right time to be home, and any time after that was much too late.**

"That's no way to raise a child." Molly scowled.

**Uncle Vernon had threatened to lock Harry in the shed if he came home after Dudley ever again, so, stifling a yawn, and still scowling, Harry set off towards the park gate.**

"Harry, have they ever locked you in the shed?" Remus asked leaning across the table.

Harry looked at him tiredly saying, "No Remus, they have never locked me in the shed."And then returned back to his resting position. Sirius wasn't sure but he thought he might have been the only one to catch the inflection about it only being the shed.

**Magnolia Road, like Privet Drive, was full of large, square houses with perfectly manicured lawns, all owned by large, square owners who drove very clean cars similar to Uncle Vernon's.**

**Harry preferred Little Whinging by night, when the curtained windows made patches of jewel bright colour in the darkness and he ran no danger of hearing disapproving mutters about his 'delinquent' appearance when he passed the householders. He walked quickly, so that halfway along Magnolia Road Dudley's gang came into view again; they were saying their farewells at the entrance to Magnolia Crescent. Harry stepped into the shadow of a large lilac tree and waited.**

"… **squealed like a pig, didn't he?" Malcolm was saying, to guffaws from the others.**

"**Nice right hook, Big D," said Piers.**

"Horrible children" Molly said.

"**Same time tomorrow?" said Dudley.**

"**Round at my place, my parents will be out," said Gordon.**

"**See you then," said Dudley.**

"**Bye, Dud!"**

"**See ya, Big D!"**

**Harry waited for the rest of the gang to move on before setting off again. When their voices had faded once more he headed around the corner into Magnolia Crescent and by walking very quickly he soon came within hailing distance of Dudley, who was strolling along at his ease, humming tunelessly.**

"**Hey, Big D!"**

"Oh Harry …" Ginny said exasperated.

**Dudley turned.**

"**Oh," he grunted. "It's you."**

"**How long have you been 'Big D' then?" said Harry.**

"**Shut it," snarled Dudley, turning away.**

"**Cool name," said Harry, grinning and falling into step beside his cousin. "But you'll always be**

'**Ickle Diddykins' to me."**

There was a pause before everyone let out a laugh, indeed the twins fell out of their chairs they were laughing so much.

"Oh Merlin and I thought Mum's nicknames for Ron were bad." George gasped as he clambered back onto his seat.

"Just wait for it, it gets better." Harry said, finally sitting back upright now that it was about to reach the Dementor attack.

"**I said, SHUT IT!" said Dudley, whose ham-like hands had curled into fists.**

**"Don't the boys know that's what your mum calls you**?"

"**Shut your face."**

"**You don't tell her to shut her face. What about 'Popkin' and 'Dinky Diddydums', can I use them then?"**

"Oh they're rich!" Fred said through his laughter.

**Dudley said nothing. The effort of keeping himself from hitting Harry seemed to demand all his self-control.**

**"So who've you been beating up tonight?" Harry asked, his grin fading. "Another ten-year-old? I know you did Mark Evans two nights ago -"**

"How could any parent let their child get away with behaving like that!" Molly exclaimed. "If any of mine did that they wouldn't breath fresh air unless they were doing de-gnoming for a month."

All the Weasley children grimaced at that, knowing perfectly well that she was being deadly serious.

"**He was asking for it," snarled Dudley.**

"**Oh yeah?"**

"**He cheeked me."**

"**Yeah? Did he say you look like a pig that's been taught to walk on its hind legs? Cause that's not cheek, Dud, that's true."**

"Harry you really shouldn't insult your cousin like that. He's a lot bigger than you." Luna said serenely.

"I know Luna, although that isn't really the reason I shouldn't of done it. I shouldn't of done it because I shouldn't of gone picking a fight with him as he never said anything to me, regardless of past experiences."

Hermione looked at him approvingly, knowing Harry had said that while in teacher mode with Luna.

**A muscle was twitching in Dudley's jaw. It gave Harry enormous satisfaction to know how furious he was making Dudley; he felt as though he was siphoning off his own frustration into his cousin, the only outlet he had.**

**They turned right down the narrow alleyway where Harry had first seen Sirius and which formed a short cut between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk. It was empty and much darker than the streets it linked because there were no streetlamps. Their footsteps were muffled between garage walls on one side and a high fence on the other.**

"**Think you're a big man carrying that thing, don't you?" Dudley said after a few seconds.**

"**What thing?"**

"**That - that thing you are hiding."**

**Harry grinned again.**

"**Not as stupid as you look, are you, Dud? But I s'pose, if you were, you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time."**

**Harry pulled out his wand. He saw Dudley look sideways at it.**

"**You're not allowed," Dudley said at once. "I know you're not. You'd get expelled from that freak school you go to."**

"Freak school" Remus said coldly. "I suppose that's a phrase he picked up from his mother was it?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"I remember your mother being upset sometimes because Petunia would call her that."

A ringing silence rang through the room before Dumbledore continued reading.

"**How d'you know they haven't changed the rules, Big D?"**

"**They haven't," said Dudley, though he didn't sound completely convinced.**

**Harry laughed softly.**

"**You haven't got the guts to take me on without that thing, have you?" Dudley snarled.**

"**Whereas you just need four mates behind you before you can beat up a ten year old.**

**You know that boxing title you keep banging on about? How old was your opponent? Seven? Eight?"**

"**He was sixteen, for your information," snarled Dudley, "and he was out cold for twenty minutes after I'd finished with him and he was twice as heavy as you. You just wait till I tell Dad you had that thing out –"**

"**Running to Daddy now, are you? Is his ickle boxing champ frightened of nasty Harry's wand?"**

"**Not this brave at night, are you?" sneered Dudley.**

**"This is night, Diddykins. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this."**

"**I mean when you're in bed!" Dudley snarled.**

**He had stopped walking. Harry stopped too, staring at his cousin.**

**From the little he could see of Dudley's large face, he was wearing a strangely triumphant look.**

"**What d'you mean, I'm not brave when I'm in bed?" s aid Harry, completely nonplussed. "What am I supposed to be frightened of, pillows or something?"**

"**I heard you last night," said Dudley breathlessly. "Talking in your sleep. Moaning."**

"**What d'you mean?" Harry said again, but there was a cold, plunging sensation in his stomach.**

**He had revisited the graveyard last night in his dreams.**

**Dudley gave a harsh bark of laughter, then adopted a high-pitched whimpering voice.**

"'**Don't kill Cedric! Don't kill Cedric!' Who's Cedric - your boyfriend?"**

There was a sudden uproar, the kids being the loudest because they knew Cedric. After a minute Dumbledore set off a loud bang from his wand, everyone stopped yelling. The twinkle had gone out in Dumbledore's eyes. "He didn't know I'm sure and in either case this has already happened, there's nothing to be done now."

Fred and George exchanged a very serious look which promised to take vengeance on him. Ginny kicked George under the table saying without words that whatever they were planning she wanted to be a part of.

"**I - you're lying," said Harry automatically.**

**But his mouth had gone dry. He knew Dudley wasn't lying - how else would he know about Cedric?**

"**Dad! Help me, Dad! He's going to kill me, Dad! Boo hoo!"**

Sirius and Remus exchanged a pained look and Tonks who's hair had turned red in anger was now turning a mousey brown as she heard these taunts and saw the haunted look in Harry's eyes. Reaching under the table she grabbed Remus's hand and gave it a quick squeeze which he returned in a show of comfort.

"**Shut up," said Harry quietly. "Shut up, Dudley, I'm warning you!"**

"**Come and help me, Dad! Mum, come and help me! He's killed Cedric! Dad, help me! He's going to - don't you point that thing at me!"**

**Dudley backed into the alley wall. Harry was pointing the wand directly at Dudley's heart. Harry could feel fourteen years' hatred of Dudley pounding in his veins - what wouldn't he give to strike now, to jinx Dudley so thoroughly he'd have to crawl home like an insect, struck dumb, sprouting feelers…**

"**Don't ever talk about that again," Harry snarled. "D'you understand me?"**

"**Point that thing somewhere else!"**

"**I said, do you understand me?"**

"**Point it somewhere else!"**

"**DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"**

"**GET THAT THING AWAY FROM -"**

**Dudley gave an odd, shuddering gasp, as though he had been doused in icy water.**

"Oh so this was when you were attacked by Dementors?" Neville asked quietly, to which Harry gave a short nod.

**Something had happened to the night. The star-strewn indigo sky was suddenly pitch black and lightless - the stars, the moon, the misty streetlamps at either end of the alley had vanished. The distant rumble of cars and the whisper of trees had gone. The balmy evening was suddenly piercingly, bitingly cold. They were surrounded by total, impenetrable, silent darkness, as though some giant hand had dropped a thick, icy mantle over the entire alleyway, blinding them.**

**For a split second Harry thought he had done magic without meaning to, despite the fact that he'd been resisting as hard as he could - then his reason caught up with his senses - he didn't have the power to turn off the stars. He turned his head this way and that, trying to see something, but the darkness pressed on his eyes like a weightless veil.**

**Dudley's terrified voice broke in Harry's ear.**

"**W-what are you d-doing? St-stop it!"**

"**I'm not doing anything! Shut up and don't move!"**

"**I c-can't see! I've g-gone blind! I -"**

"**I said shut up!"**

**Harry stood stock still, turning his sightless eyes left and right. The cold was so intense he was shivering all over; goose bumps had erupted up his arms and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up - he opened his eyes to their fullest extent, staring blankly around, unseeing.**

**It was impossible… they couldn't be here… not in Little Whinging… he strained his ears… he would hear them before he saw them…**

"Good lad, keep your head on." Moody said.

"Harry's always like that in those situations." Hermione said warmly.

"Yeah, unlike some people who forget they're even magical." Ron teased and Harry couldn't help the low chuckle that escaped as Hermione blushed.

"**I'll t-tell Dad!" Dudley whimpered. "W-where are you? What are you d-do—?"**

"**Will you shut up?" Harry hissed, "I'm trying to lis —"**

**But he fell silent. He had heard just the thing he had been dreading.**

**There was something in the alleyway apart from themselves, something that was drawing long, hoarse, rattling breaths. Harry felt a horrible jolt of dread as he stood trembling in the freezing air.**

"**C-cut it out! Stop doing it! I'll h-hit you, I swear I will!"**

"**Dudley, shut—"**

**WHAM.**

"He hit you! That idiot, doesn't he know you're his only hope of getting out of there?" Ginny yelled.

**A fist made contact with the side of Harry's head, lifting him off his feet. Small white lights popped in front of his eyes. For the second time in an hour Harry felt as though his head had been cleaved in two; next moment, he had landed hard on the ground and his wand had flown out of his hand.**

"Oh come on! Harry I swear you have the worse luck." Neville said.

Ron replied saying, "He does, but when it turns the other way he's very, very lucky. If it wasn't the case I don't think we would of lived this long."

"**You moron, Dudley!" Harry yelled, his eyes watering with pain as he scrambled to his hands and knees, feeling around frantically in the blackness. He heard Dudley blundering away, hitting the alley fence, stumbling.**

"**DUDLEY, COME BACK! YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT AT IT!"**

**There was a horrible squealing yell and Dudley's footsteps stopped. At the same moment, Harry felt a creeping chill behind him that could mean only one thing. There was more than one.**

"**DUDLEY, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! WHATEVER YOU DO, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! Wand!" Harry muttered frantically, his hands flying over the ground like spiders.**

"**Where's - wand -come on -lumos!"**

"That won't work" Bill said from beside Dumbledore. "The wand has to be in the wizard's hand for the spell to work, unless of course you're like Dumbledore."

Harry blushed furiously, "Really? Well I'm definitely not in the same league as Dumbledore, but thanks I guess." He said to a thoroughly confused Bill.

Dumbledore simply chuckled and read on.

**He said the spell automatically, desperate for light to help him in his search - and to his disbelieving relief, light flared inches from his right hand - the wand tip had ignited.**

Bill looked Gobsmacked as did quite a few of the others at the table. Luna however just smiled at him and said, "I knew you could do it Harry."

Fred and George looked at each other before jumping up and going, "Us too." Fred continued saying "You always seem to be doing the impossible!"

**Harry snatched it up, scrambled to his feet and turned around.**

**His stomach turned over.**

**A towering, hooded figure was gliding smoothly towards him, hovering over the ground, no feet or face visible beneath its robes, sucking on the night as it came.**

**Stumbling backwards, Harry raised his wand.**

"**Expecto patronum!"**

**A silvery wisp of vapour shot from the tip of the wand and the Dementor slowed, but the spell hadn't worked properly; tripping over his own feet, Harry retreated further as the Dementor bore down upon him, panic fogging his brain -concentrate–**

"Oh no Harry" Hermione whimpered next to him grabbing his arm as though to make sure he was still there.

"Hermione," Harry said rather bemused, "you know this happened over 5 months ago right?"

**A pair of grey, slimy, scabbed hands slid from inside the Dementor's robes, reaching for him. A rushing noise filled Harry's ears.**

"**Expecto patronum!"**

**His voice sounded dim and distant. Another wisp of silver smoke, feebler than the last, drifted from the wand - he couldn't do it any more, he couldn't work the spell.**

**There was laughter inside his own head, shrill, high-pitched laughter… he could smell the Dementor's putrid, death-cold breath filling his own lungs, drowning him - think… something happy…**

**But there was no happiness in him… the Dementor's icy fingers were closing on his throat – the high-pitched laughter was growing louder and louder, and a voice spoke inside his head: "Bow to death, Harry… it might even be painless… I would no t know… I have never died…"**

**He was never going to see Ron and Hermione again –**

**And their faces burst clearly into his mind as he fought for breath.**

"**EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**

"We were your happy thought?" Hermione cried.

"Yes" said Harry slightly warily.

"Oh Harry" and then pulled him into hug. Shooting Ron a bewildered look Harry just said, "Well of course you guys are going to be my happy thought, you're my best friends." patting her awkwardly on the back. Ron was too touched by Harry's sentiments to even feel annoyed that Hermione was hugging Harry.

**An enormous silver stag erupted from the tip of Harry's wand; its antlers caught the Dementor in the place where the heart should have been; it was thrown backwards, weightless as darkness, and as the stag charged, the Dementor swooped away, bat-like and defeated.**

**"THIS WAY!" Harry shouted at the stag. Wheeling around, he sprinted down the alleyway, holding the lit wand aloft. "DUDLEY? DUDLEY!"**

**He had run barely a dozen steps when he reached them: Dudley was curled up on the ground, his arms clamped over his face. A second Dementor was crouching low over him, gripping his wrists in its slimy hands, prizing them slowly almost lovingly apart, lowering its hooded head towards Dudley's face as though about to kiss him.**

Nearly everyone gasped at this. No matter how horrible he was, he certainly didn't deserve to be kissed.

**"GET IT!" Harry bellowed, and with a rushing, roaring sound, the silver stag he had conjured came galloping past him. The Dementor's eyeless face was barely an inch from Dudley's when the silver antlers caught it; the thing was thrown up into the air and, like its fellow, it soared away and was absorbed into the darkness; the stag cantered to the end of the alleyway and dissolved into silver mist.**

**Moon, stars and streetlamps burst back into life. A warm breeze swept the alleyway. Trees rustled in neighbouring gardens and the mundane rumble of cars in Magnolia Crescent filled the air again.**

**Harry stood quite still, all his senses vibrating, taking in the abrupt return to normality. After a moment, he became aware that his T-shirt was sticking to him; he was drenched in sweat.**

**He could not believe what had just happened. Dementors here, in Little Whinging.**

"Neither could we Harry," Sirius said lowly, "When he first got here we thought it was some excuse of his to get off duty, but as soon as he asked for Dumbledore we knew that however unlikely that old Dung here was telling the truth."

"It 'appens sometimes" Dung grunted.

**Dudley lay curled up on the ground, whimpering and shaking. Harry bent down to see whether he was in a fit state to stand up, but then he heard loud, running footsteps behind him.**

**Instinctively raising his wand again, he span on his heel to face the newcomer.**

Moody nodded approvingly.

**Mrs. Figg, their batty old neighbour, came panting into sight. Her grizzled grey hair was escaping from its hairnet, a clanking string shopping bag was swinging from her wrist and her feet were halfway out of her tartan carpet slippers. Harry made to stow his wand hurriedly out of sight, but-**

"**Don't put it away idiot boy!" she shrieked. "What if there are more of them around? Oh, I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!"**

"You know, second only to me finding out I'm a wizard and my Aunt and Uncle knew the whole time, I think that was the most shocking thing I ever found out."

"Seriously? What about all the stuff we've done?" Ron questioned.

"Well some of it was shocking, but it all sort of came to be expected given I was entering a new world. I knew what to expect from my muggle life and what to expect in my wizarding life, but there I was, seeing my two worlds collide."

"Ok that's the end of the chapter. Who would like to read next?"

"I would like to please professor." Hermione said, surprising no-one.

"Albus, perhaps we should call it a night after this chapter? It is getting rather late."

"Right you are Minerva. If you would like to begin Miss Granger."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: hey guys sorry I haven't updated in ages, tbh I've been more interested in reading other people's fanfiction and when I've not been doing that I've been chilling at home and hanging out with my mates now they're mostly all back from uni. There's also the fact that I think this part in the book is quite dark emotionally and I've been way to happy to seriously get this right. Also I passed my exams so I'm on the Uni course I want to do  
>OK this chapter sucks it's taking forever to write and I don't think I got it right. Let me know any improvements. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long.<br>The bold and characters all belong to JK and whoever else has the copyrights, do I need to put a disclaimer on every page?**

"**A Peck of Owls,"**Hermione read.

**"He left!" said Mrs. Figg, wringing her hands. "Left to see someone about a batch of cauldrons that fell off the back of a broom! I told him I'd flay him alive if he went, and now look! Dementors! It's just lucky I put Mr. Tibbles on the case! But we haven't got time to stand around! Hurry, now, we've got to get you back! Oh, the trouble this is going to cause! I will kill him!"**

"She wasn't the only one." Molly cried, "The sneaking thief should never have left you Harry." All the while glaring at him.

"Mrs. Weasley, I know why you're mad and everything but I just thought, can you even do a patronus charm, Dung?"

It was Dumbledore that answered, "Although Mundungus may not appear to be, he is a capable Wizard, sometimes we Order members use that charm as a method of communication."

Hermione opened her mouth to ask more about how that worked but a look from Ron which clearly said 'get on with it' made her decide to just ask once the chapter was over.

**"But -" The revelation that his batty old cat-obsessed neighbour knew what Dementors were was almost as big a shock to Harry as meeting two of them down the alleyway. "You're - you're a witch?"**

**"I'm a Squib, as Mundungus knows full well, so how on earth was I supposed to help you fight off Dementors? He left you completely without cover when I'd warned him -"**

**"This Mundungus has been following me? Hang on - it was him! He Disapparated from the front of my house!"**

"Good. You're putting the pieces together though you shouldn't have let that distract you from the situation." Moody said.

"I didn't. I'm always able to think of lots of things at once in these situations, usually I just voice the most prominent questions."

**"Yes, yes, yes, but luckily I'd stationed Mr. Tibbles under a car just in case, and Mr. Tibbies came and warned me, but by the time I got to your house you'd gone - and now - oh, what's Dumbledore going to say? You!" she shrieked at Dudley, still supine on the alley floor. "Get your fat bottom off the ground, quick!"**

The twins couldn't help but snigger here.

**"You know Dumbledore?" said Harry, staring at her.**

"Everyone knows Dumbledore, Harry." Ron said rolling his eyes at him.

Before Harry had even opened his mouth to retort though Hermione defended him by saying, " Not muggles though Ron and given until a minute before he'd considered her one all his life I think he's still processing it. Like Harry said, his worlds were colliding."

**"Of course I know Dumbledore, who doesn't know Dumbledore? But come on - I'll be no help if they come back, I've never so much as transfigured a teabag."**

"You know neither have I" Bill said with a slight smile, "I'm not sure that really shows how magical she is."

"You haven't transfigured a teabag!" Sirius said in mock-outrage, "What sort of wizard are you?"

Harry was glad to see him joking around again; throughout the Dementor attack he'd stiffened visibly and when he'd spoken it had seemed rather forced to Harry.

**She stooped down, seized one of Dudley's massive arms in her wizened hands and tugged.**

**"Get up, you useless lump, get up!"**

"Go Arabella!" The twins cheered.

**But Dudley either could not or would not move. He remained on the ground, trembling and ashen-faced, his mouth shut very tight.**

**"I'll do it." Harry took hold of Dudley's arm and heaved. With an enormous effort he managed to hoist him to his feet. Dudley seemed to be on the point of fainting. His small eyes were rolling in their sockets and sweat was beading his face; the moment Harry let go of him he swayed dangerously.**

"Wow, Harry when did that happen?" Ron asked leaning across Hermione to look at him.

"When did what happen?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused.

"When did you get the muscles to lift that tub of lard?" Ron replied smirking. Fred and George were also gawping at him from around Dung and Sirius, clearly remembering the last time they'd seen him.

Annoyed on the scrawny comment he nevertheless answered with, "Quidditch." To which the boys nodded and went back to listening to Hermione.

**"Hurry up!" said Mrs. Figg hysterically.**

**Harry pulled one of Dudley's massive arms around his own shoulders and dragged him towards the road, sagging slightly under the weight. Mrs. Figg tottered along in front of them, peering anxiously around the corner.**

**"Keep your wand out," she told Harry, as they entered Wisteria Walk. "Never mind the Statute of Secrecy now, there's going to be hell to pay anyway, we might as well be hanged for a dragon as an egg. Talk about the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery… this was exactly what Dumbledore was afraid of -**

**What's that at the end of the street? Oh, it's just Mr. Prentice… don't put your wand away, boy, don't I keep telling you I'm no use?"**

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

"Oh Harry and Moody had such high hopes for you." Tonks said shaking her head sadly.

"I wasn't actually putting it away Tonks, I'd like to see you support my cousin and keep your wand steady."

**It was not easy to hold a wand steady and haul Dudley along at the same time. **

"See!"

**Harry gave his cousin an impatient dig in the ribs, but Dudley seemed to have lost all desire for independent movement. He was slumped on Harry's shoulder, his large feet dragging along the ground.**

**"Why didn't you tell me you're a Squib, Mrs. Figg?" asked Harry, panting with the effort to keep walking. "All those times I came round your house - why didn't you say anything?"**

**"Dumbledore's orders. I was to keep an eye on you but not say anything, you were too young. I'm sorry I gave you such a miserable time, Harry, but the Dursleys would never have let you come if they'd thought you enjoyed it. It wasn't easy, you know… but oh my word," she said tragically, wringing her hands once more, "when Dumbledore hears about this - how could Mundungus have left, he was supposed to be on duty until midnight - where is he? How am I going to tell Dumbledore what's happened? I can't Apparate."**

"If she knew that the Dursley's liked Harry miserable then surely you Dumbledore, knew too!" Sirius seethed. "You go on about him being safe and protected there but who's there to protect him from them? Couldn't you at least of sent someone there to talk to them, to keep them in line!"

"Sirius I have made it clear my position on the matter, if you would like to know all my reasons then please ask them once the chapter is over."

**"I've got an owl, you can borrow her." Harry groaned, wondering whether his spine was going to snap under Dudley's weight.**

**"Harry, you don't understand! Dumbledore will need to act as quickly as possible, the Ministry have their own ways of detecting underage magic, they'll know already, you mark my words."**

**"But I was getting rid of Dementors, I had to use magic - they're going to be more worried about what Dementors were doing floating around Wisteria Walk, surely?"**

"You would think so in a just ministry" Hermione muttered under her breath before continuing.

**"Oh, my dear, I wish it were so, but I'm afraid - MUNDUNGUS FLETCHER, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"**

"Yet 'm still 'ere."

"Barely" said Sirius smugly, nudging him to look over at Mrs Weasley's death glare.

**There was a loud crack and a strong smell of drink mingled with stale tobacco filled the air as a squat, unshaven man in a tattered overcoat materialized right in front of them. He had short, bandy legs, long straggly ginger hair and bloodshot, baggy eyes that gave him the doleful look of a basset hound.**

The kids plus Sirius, Remus and Tonks couldn't help but snigger at his description while Moody's normal eye look at Harry, impressed by his observational skills.

**He was also clutching a silvery bundle that Harry recognized at once as an Invisibility Cloak.**

**"S'up, Figgy?" he said, staring from Mrs. Figg to Harry and Dudley. "What 'appened to staying undercover?"**

**"I'll give you undercover!" cried Mrs. Figg. "Dementors, you useless, skiving sneak thief!"**

**"Dementors?" repeated Mundungus, aghast. "Dementors, 'ere?"**

**"Yes, here, you worthless pile of bat droppings, here!" shrieked Mrs. Figg. "Dementors attacking the boy on your watch!"**

**"Blimey," said Mundungus weakly, looking from Mrs. Figg to Harry, and back again. "Blimey, I -"**

**"And you off buying stolen cauldrons! Didn't I tell you not to go? Didn't I!"**

**"I - well, I -" Mundungus looked deeply uncomfortable. "It — it was a very good business opportunity, see -"**

Mrs Weasley looked positively fuming now. "BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY! How dare –"

Kingsley interrupted her rant though saying, "Molly, it's rather late, perhaps it would be better to get the chapter over with first."

She simply nodded at his logic but didn't lessen her glare at the now cowering man.

**Mrs. Figg raised the arm from which her string bag dangled and whacked Mundungus around the face and neck with it; judging by the clanking noise it made it was full of cat food.**

Molly and somewhat surprisingly Sirius smirked at this.

**"Ouch - gerroff - gerroff, you mad old bat! Someone's gotta tell Dumbledore!"**

**"Yes - they - have!" yelled Mrs. Figg, swinging the bag of cat food at every bit of Mundungus she could reach. "And - it - had - better - be - you - and - you - can - tell - him - why - you - weren't - there - to - help!"**

**"Keep your 'airnet on!" said Mundungus, his arms over his head, cowering. "I'm going, I'm going!"**

"Sounds like you were lucky she's a squib, Dung." George said grinning.

"Lucky? You got any idea 'ow painful those tins were?" Dung replied grimacing.

**And with another loud crack, he vanished.**

**"I hope Dumbledore murders him!" said Mrs. Figg furiously. "Now come on, Harry, what are you waiting for?"**

**Harry decided not to waste his remaining breath on pointing out that he could barely walk under Dudley's bulk. He gave the semi-conscious Dudley a heave and staggered onwards.**

**"I'll take you to the door," said Mrs. Figg, as they turned into Privet Drive. "Just in case there are more of them around… oh my word, what a catastrophe… and you had to fight them off yourself… and Dumbledore said we were to keep you from doing magic at all costs… well, it's no good crying over spilt potion, I suppose… but the cat's among the pixies now."**

"That was probably what I found most weird." Harry interrupted, "All my life Mrs. Figg has used the muggle sayings like it's no good crying over split milk then suddenly she'd slipped into using all these magical sayings. It was like she was becoming a very different Mrs. Figg to the one I grew up with."

Sirius removed his arm from the back of Harry's chair and suddenly looked down at his hands sadly. Knowing that this woman would of seen Harry grow up, probably even cared about him all the while he was wasting away in a prison cell. Then Harry grabbed his hand in a show of comfort. Looking into Harry's eyes Sirius saw a piercing understanding and what appeared to be a kindred sadness. Except Sirius knew it was his fault for not being a part of Harry's life and as the guilt threatened to wash over him Harry shook his head at him as though knowing what he was thinking. He gave him a sad smile before returning to look at Hermione.

**"So," Harry panted, "Dumbledore's… been having… me followed?"**

**"Of course he has," said Mrs. Figg impatiently. "Did you expect him to let you wander around on your own after what happened in June?** **Good Lord, boy, they told me you were intelligent… right… get inside and stay there," she said, as they reached number four. "I expect someone will be in touch with you soon enough."**

"Got that right." Harry muttered thinking of all the letters from that night.

**"What are you going to do?" asked Harry quickly.**

**"I'm going straight home," said Mrs. Figg, staring around the dark street and shuddering. "I'll need to wait for more instructions. Just stay in the house. Goodnight."**

**"Hang on, don't go yet! I want to know -"**

**But Mrs. Figg had already set off at a trot, carpet slippers flopping, string bag clanking.**

"She was still in her carpet slippers? Why was she carrying the cat food then?" Hermione asked, as though expecting the Order to know the answer, though all they did was shrug.

**"Wait!" Harry shouted after her. He had a million questions to ask anyone who was in contact with Dumbledore; but within seconds Mrs. Figg was swallowed by the darkness. Scowling, Harry readjusted Dudley on his shoulder and made his slow, painful way up number four's garden path.**

**The hall light was on. Harry stuck his wand back inside the waistband of his jeans, rang the bell and watched Aunt Petunia's outline grow larger and larger, oddly distorted by the rippling glass in the front door.**

**"Diddy! About time too, I was getting quite - quite -Diddy, what's the matter!"**

**Harry looked sideways at Dudley and ducked out from under his arm just in time. Dudley swayed on the spot for a moment, his face pale green… then he opened his mouth and vomited all over the doormat.**

"Eww." Cried the younger half of the room while Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Good job you've got those reflexes Harry." Ron said looking rather disgusted.

**"DIDDY! Diddy, what's the matter with you? Vernon? VERNON!"**

**Harry's uncle came galumphing out of the living room, walrus moustache blowing hither and thither as it always did when he was agitated. He hurried forwards to help Aunt Petunia negotiate a weak-kneed Dudley over the threshold while avoiding stepping in the pool of sick.**

**"He's ill, Vernon!"**

**"What is it, son? What's happened? Did Mrs. Polkiss give you something foreign for tea?"**

**"Why are you all covered in dirt, darling? Have you been lying on the ground?"**

**"Hang on - you haven't been mugged, have you, son?"**

**Aunt Petunia screamed.**

"Dramatic or what?" Tonks said rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, I don't know what they were thinking like anyone would willingly take Dudley on." Harry answered triggering a smile from most around the room.

**"Phone the police, Vernon! Phone the police! Diddy, darling, speak to Mummy! What did they do to you?"**

**In all the kerfuffle nobody seemed to have noticed Harry, which suited him perfectly. He managed to slip inside just before Uncle Vernon slammed the door and, while the Dursleys made their noisy progress down the hall towards the kitchen, Harry moved carefully and quietly towards the stairs.**

The twins then started to hum the Mission Impossible song which caused everyone to look at them strangely, though those who knew what it meant also had a slight smile on their face though.

"Where did you hear that guys?" Hermione asked slightly confused.

"Oh well you see, you know Angelina? She's half-blood and her mum always take her to the … sinma?"

"Cinema."

"Yes that and she watched it and then started to hum it when someone told us our … well that it was an impossible mission and she explained it to us." The twins told her excitedly.

George continued on saying, "It sounds totally awesome ( ;P sorry couldn't resist) and she told us that if it was till at the cinema when we graduate then she'd take us to see it, if not then we could probably watch it on video."

"But whatever you do, don't tell dad about it when we next see him. We'd prefer to see it first then talk to him about it." Said Fred. ( a/n btw I did some research and the film didn't actually come out til '96 and it's '95 now but let's pretend it came out a year early)

**"Who did it, son? Give us names. We'll get them, don't worry."**

**"Shh! He's trying to say something, Vernon! What is it, Diddy? Tell Mummy!"**

**Harry's foot was on the bottom-most stair when Dudley found his voice.**

**"Him."**

Everyone hiss in outrage at that.

"Come off it!" Sirius said fiercely, "You just saved his worthless life for Merlin's sake!"

"Umm Sirius, dementors are invisible to muggles, Dudley also isn't the brightest bulb in the box, plus I don't even think he was accusing me here more like telling them I was involved."

"Could of said it better then." Sirius started to mumble.

**Harry froze, foot on the stair, face screwed up, braced for the explosion.**

**"BOY! COME HERE!"**

**With a feeling of mingled dread and anger, Harry removed his foot slowly from the stair and turned to follow the Dursleys.**

**The scrupulously clean kitchen had an oddly unreal glitter after the darkness outside. Aunt Petunia was ushering Dudley into a chair; he was still very green and clammy-looking. Uncle Vernon standing in front of the draining board, glaring at Harry through tiny, narrowed eyes.**

**"What have you done to my son?" he said in a menacing growl.**

**"Nothing," said Harry, knowing perfectly well that Uncle Vernon wouldn't believe him.**

**"What did he do to you, Diddy?" Aunt Petunia said in a quavering voice, now sponging sick from the front of Dudley's leather jacket. "Was it - was it you-know-what, darling? Did he use – his thing?"**

Although everyone knew what she was talking about it didn't stop the Weasley boys, Neville, Dung and Sirius from bursting into laughter hearing it. Most of the women in the room just looked at them in disgust.

**Slowly, tremulously, Dudley nodded.**

**"I didn't!" Harry said sharply, as Aunt Petunia let out a wail and Uncle Vernon raised his fists.**

Sirius threw Harry a sharp glance here and he knew there was no way the talk Sirius wanted to have with him would be put off until another day.

**"I didn't do anything to him, it wasn't me, it was –"**

**But at that precise moment a screech owl swooped in through the kitchen window. Narrowly missing the top of Uncle Vernon's head, it soared across the kitchen, dropped the large parchment envelope it was carrying in its beak at Harry's feet, turned gracefully, the tips of its wings just brushing the top of the fridge, then zoomed outside again and off across the garden.**

**"OWLS!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, the well-worn vein in his temple pulsing angrily as he slammed the kitchen window shut. "OWLS AGAIN! I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE OWLS IN MY HOUSE!"**

**But Harry was already ripping open the envelope and pulling out the letter inside, his heart pounding somewhere in the region of his Adam's apple.**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a Muggle.**

**The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.**

Here Hermione stopped reading and said, "You were actually expelled?"

"Well yeah, you guys knew that, right?"

"No Harry, all we knew was that everyone was yelling and that my dad told us Dumbledore was trying to sort it out because they were trying to expel you. No-one told us that they actually expelled you." Ron explained wide-eyed, imagining just as Harry had, a Hogwarts where Ron and Hermione were but Harry wasn't.

"Oh." Was Harry's adequate response.

**Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.**

**As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 a.m. on the twelfth of August.**

**Hoping you are well,**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Mafalda Hopkirk**

**Improper Use of Magic Office**

**Ministry of Magic**

**Harry read the letter through twice. He was only vaguely aware of Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia talking. Inside his head, all was icy and numb. One fact had penetrated his consciousness like a paralyzing dart. He was expelled from Hogwarts. It was all over. He was never going back.**

"And there's the pessimist we all know and love." Ron said lightly leaning backwards in his chair.

**He looked up at the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon was purple-faced, shouting, his fists still raised; Aunt Petunia had her arms around Dudley, who was retching again.**

**Harry's temporarily stupefied brain seemed to reawaken.**

"It seems that there were some wrackspurts around you Harry." Luna pointed out in her dreamy voice.

"You might be right Luna quite a few things seemed to be happening to me that night." Harry responded kindly.

It was comments like that which made Snape want to leave the room and never look back. It was the sort of thing which his father would have scoffed at and probably mocked but Lily, his lovely Lily, she would have said something kind like that and it made him feel rather sick. He decided then and there that tomorrow he would be sick or called to some emergency, anything that would stop him from being here for this. He'd ask Minerva to relate to him the important parts when she returned to the castle. Yes, that's what he'd do.

**Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand. There was only one thing for it. He would have to run - now.**

"Oh Harry …" Hermione sighed.

"Although it was a logical thing to do, especially given the way the Ministry is acting, you could have had a little more faith in us to have sorted it out. You know we'd never allow them to break your wand." Sirius said with a slight smile.

It took all Harry had to not snap at him. How was he suppose to have faith in adults that didn't seem to want to extend the same courtesy to him?

**Where he was going to go, Harry didn't know, but he was certain of one thing: at Hogwarts or outside it, he needed his wand. In an almost dream like state, he pulled his wand out and turned to leave the kitchen.**

**"Where d'you think you're going?" yelled Uncle Vernon. When Harry didn't reply, he pounded across the kitchen to block the doorway into the hall. "I haven't finished with you, boy!"**

**"Get out of the way," said Harry quietly.**

**"You're going to stay here and explain how my son-"**

**"If you don't get out of the way I'm going to jinx you," said Harry, raising the wand.**

Now it was Harry's turn to sigh. In some ways he wished he'd been able to jinx his uncle but knew that if he had there was a good chance that he'd be expelled from Hogwarts.

**"You can't pull that one on me!" snarled Uncle Vernon. "I know you're not allowed to use it outside that madhouse you call a school!"**

"Madhouse?" hissed several people around the table, yet Dumbledore just chuckled. Seeing the questioning looks he simply replied with, "Well I think there is a certain amount of madness at the school."

**"The madhouse has chucked me out," said Harry. "So I can do whatever I like. You've got three seconds. One - two -"**

**A resounding CRACK filled the kitchen. Aunt Petunia screamed, 'Hide!' Uncle Vernon yelled and ducked, but for the third time that night Harry was searching for the source of a disturbance he had not made. He spotted it at once: a dazed and ruffled-looking barn owl was sitting outside on the kitchen sill, having just collided with the closed window.**

**Ignoring Uncle Vernon's anguished yell of 'OWLS!' Harry crossed the room at a run and wrenched the window open. The owl stuck out its leg, to which a small roll of parchment was tied, shook its leathers, and took off the moment Harry had taken the letter. Hands shaking, Harry unfurled the second message, which was written very hastily and blotchily in black ink.**

**Harry —**

**Dumbledore's just arrived at the Ministry and he's trying to sort it all out. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE.**

**DO NOT DO ANY MORE MAGIC. DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR WAND.**

**Arthur Weasley**

**Dumbledore was trying to sort it all out… what did that mean? How much power did Dumbledore have to override the Ministry of Magic?**

**Was there a chance that he might be allowed back to Hogwarts, then? A small shoot of hope burgeoned in Harry's chest, almost immediately strangled by panic - how was he supposed to refuse to surrender his wand without doing magic? He'd have to duel with the Ministry representatives, and if he did that, he'd be lucky to escape Azkaban, let alone expulsion.**

Sirius and Remus both couldn't help but snort with the others at this.

**His mind was racing… he could run for it and risk being captured by the Ministry, or stay put and wait for them to find him here. He was much more tempted by the former course, but he knew Mr. Weasley had his best interests at heart… and after all, Dumbledore had sorted out much worse than this before.**

**"Right," Harry said, "I've changed my mind, I'm staying." **

"Well that's one way to totally confuse the muggles." Tonks said cheerfully.

"True but they would probably be even more confused if I told them every time a decision was made; it was basically unmade or changed a minute afterwards." Harry replied.

**He flung himself down at the kitchen table and faced Dudley and Aunt Petunia. The Dursleys appeared taken aback at his abrupt change of mind. Aunt Petunia glanced despairingly at Uncle Vernon. The vein in his purple temple was throbbing worse than ever.**

"Attractive." Tonks said sarcastically.

"My dear cousin, I had no idea that you went for that type. Here I was thinking that you'd go for someone slightly less groomed, calm as anything and not a git."

Blushing slightly Tonk retorted with, "Well it's so hard to get all three categories there Sirius, I mean you're only one at a push? But I suppose old clothes don't help you much."

"Oi! I'm exceptionally well groomed; anything about me that's not you can put down to Azkaban." He replied indignantly, unaware of the snickers from other in the room at his lack of defence to the other points.

**"Who are all these ruddy owls from?" he growled.**

**"The first one was from the Ministry of Magic, expelling me," said Harry calmly.**

"As you do," Ron said rolling his eyes.

"Well what should I of done? Panicked?"

**He was straining his ears to catch any noises outside, in case the Ministry representatives were approaching, and it was easier and quieter to answer Uncle Vernon's questions than to have him start raging and bellowing. "The second one was from my friend Ron's dad, who works at the Ministry."**

**"Ministry of Magic?" bellowed Uncle Vernon. "People like you in government! Oh, this explains everything, everything, no wonder the country's going to the dogs."**

"We have hardly any contact with the Muggle Government so we can hardly be blamed for that. Honestly he should place the blame on the guilty parties rather than looking for scapegoats!" Hermione said with passion.

Harry momentarily curious said, "So does that mean we have some contact with their Government? They know about magic?"

"Obviously Harry. When the wizarding world went underground, in order to keep magic hidden we needed the help of their leaders to keep it contained. As the years passed less people believed in magic until those that did know about it knew not to discuss it for fear of being called crazy. It is in 'A History of Magic', you should know this."

"Yeah but history is boring," Ron interrupted, "and if we ever need to know something then we can just ask you."

Sensing a full-blown argument about to unfold Harry said, "Well it's good to know anyway Hermione, thanks but perhaps we should get on with the reading or we'll be here all night."

**When Harry did not respond, Uncle Vernon glared at him, then spat out, "And why have you been expelled?"**

**"Because I did magic."**

**"AHA!" roared Uncle Vernon, slamming his fist down on top of the fridge, which sprang open; several of Dudley's low-fat snacks toppled out and burst on the floor. "So you admit it! What did you do to Dudley?"**

**"Nothing," said Harry, slightly less calmly. "That wasn't me -"**

**"Was," muttered Dudley unexpectedly,**

"Git" The Weasley children, Neville and Sirius chorused.

**and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia instantly made flapping gestures at Harry to quieted him while they both bent low over Dudley.**

**"Go on, son," said Uncle Vernon, "what did he do?"**

**"Tell us, darling," whispered Aunt Petunia.**

**"Pointed his wand at me," Dudley mumbled.**

**"Yeah, I did, but I didn't use -" Harry began angrily, but –**

**"SHUT UP!" roared Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia in unison.**

**"Go on, son," repeated Uncle Vernon, moustache blowing about furiously.**

**"All went dark," Dudley said hoarsely, shuddering. "Everything dark. And then I h-heard… things. Inside m-my head."**

"That's something that confused me. Dudley has always been pampered and gotten his own way so I don't know what he would have heard."

"If I were to make an educated guess I'd say that he probably heard his victims or saw himself in their positions." Remus said solemnly.

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia exchanged looks of utter horror. If their least favourite thing in the world was magic - closely followed by neighbours who cheated more than they did on the hosepipe ban - people who heard voices were definitely in the bottom ten. They obviously thought Dudley was losing his mind.**

**"What sort of things did you hear, Popkin?" breathed Aunt Petunia, very white-faced and with tears in her eyes.**

**But Dudley seemed incapable of saying. He shuddered again and shook his large blond head, and despite the sense of numb dread that had settled on Harry since the arrival of the first owl, he felt a certain curiosity. Dementors caused a person to relive the worst moments of their life. What would spoiled, pampered, bullying Dudley have been forced to see?**

**"How come you fell over, son?" said Uncle Vernon, in an unnaturally quiet voice, the kind of voice he might adopt at the bedside of a very ill person.**

**"T-tripped," said Dudley shakily. "And then –"**

**He gestured at his massive chest. Harry understood. Dudley was remembering the clammy cold that filled the lungs as hope and happiness were sucked out of you.**

This caused Sirius, Harry, Ginny and Neville to shiver involuntarily, some more extremely than others.

**"Horrible," croaked Dudley. "Cold. Really cold."**

**"Okay," said Uncle Vernon, in a voice of forced calm, while Aunt Petunia laid an anxious hand on Dudley's forehead to feel his temperature. "What happened then, Dudders?"**

**"Felt… felt… felt… as if… as if…"**

**"As if you'd never be happy again," Harry supplied dully.**

Sirius gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze, hearing this.

**"Yes," Dudley whispered, still trembling.**

**"So!" said Uncle Vernon, voice restored to full and considerable volume as he straightened up.**

**"You put some crackpot spell on my son so he'd hear voices and believe he was - was doomed to misery, or something, did you?"**

"Is that man a complete idiot?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yes," came the response from the lads around the table, while Harry and Ron gave her 'I can't believe you just asked that' looks.

**"How many times do I have to tell you?" said Harry, temper and voice both rising. "It wasn't me! It was a couple of Dementors!"**

**"A couple of - what's this codswallop?"**

**"De - men - tors," said Harry slowly and clearly. "Two of them."**

**"And what the ruddy hell are Dementors?"**

**"They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban," said Aunt Petunia.**

"I think that was the most shocking thing of the night." Muttered Harry.

Sirius asked sceptically, "More so than being attacked by Dementors? You're Aunt was your mother's sister, it isn't that surprising."

"After all that you've read so far in the books, I can't believe that you haven't grasped what their household is like regarding magic and anything related." Harry said darkly, "if it wasn't for the fact that the neighbours know I live there they would deny my existence at every point."

That comment resulted in many growls and dark looks thrown at the book or headmaster.

**Two seconds of ringing silence followed these words before Aunt Petunia clapped her hand over her mouth as though she had let slip a disgusting swear word. Uncle Vernon was goggling at her.**

**Harry's brain reeled. Mrs. Figg was one thing - but Aunt Petunia?**

**"How d'you know that?" he asked her, astonished.**

**Aunt Petunia looked quite appalled with herself. She glanced at Uncle Vernon in fearful apology, then lowered her hand slightly to reveal her horsy teeth.**

**"I heard - that awful boy – telling her about them - years ago," she said jerkily.**

Snape couldn't help but twitch at that, remembering the time when he told Lily about them.

**"If you mean my mum and dad, why don't you use their names?" said Harry loudly, but Aunt Petunia ignored him. **

"I don't think she meant your dad there Harry." Remus said quietly.

"Really? Then who?"

"I'm not sure but I believe that your mother grew up near another wizard who knew about our world before Hogwarts. I believe that might have been the boy Petunia was referring to. After all your father would have been a man when he first meant Lily's family officially."

Harry couldn't help but lean forward intrigued to learn this new thing about his mother. Two things stood out for him though; Remus seemed to imply that his parents didn't start going out until late Hogwarts or after Hogwarts, it was something that Harry would have to ask later, another was Harry couldn't suppress the feeling that Remus did in fact know who the wizard was that grew up with his mother but was reluctant to reveal it as he seemed to be mostly talking to the table at that point.

**She seemed horribly flustered. Harry was stunned. Except for one outburst years ago, in the course of which Aunt Petunia had screamed that Harry's mother had been a freak, he had never heard her mention her sister. **

Remus who had been shaking his head when he heard the word freak completely froze as the sentenced was finished.

"You mean you never knew anything about your mother before Hogwarts?" Tonks couldn't help but blurt out in her anger and shock.

"No." Harry said quietly. "I didn't even know they were called Lily and James until Hagrid got me before the start of first year."

Looking as though ever word cost him to keep his voice level, Sirius asked, "Does the surname Evans mean anything to you?"

"Umm I'm guessing it's meant to but I don't have a clue."

With a very pained expression Snape said, "It was your mother's surname."

This followed with silence and a lot of anger filling the air. Harry was quietly happy that he'd learnt that about his mother but the sadness about only just learning it was the more overwhelming feeling. Hermione, shaking slightly with repressed emotion continued on.

**He was astounded that she had remembered this scrap of information about the magical world for so long, when she usually put all her energies into pretending it didn't exist.**

**Uncle Vernon opened his mouth, closed it again, opened it once more, shut it, then, apparently struggling to remember how to talk, opened it for a third time and croaked, "So - so - they - er - they - er - they actually exist, do they - er - Dementy-whatsits?"**

**Aunt Petunia nodded.**

**Uncle Vernon looked from Aunt Petunia to Dudley to Harry as if hoping somebody was going to shout 'April Fool!' When nobody did, he opened his mouth yet again, but was spared the struggle to find more words by the arrival of the third owl of the evening. It zoomed through the still-open window like a feathery cannon-ball and landed with a clatter on the kitchen table, causing all three of the Dursleys to jump with fright. Harry tore a second official-looking envelope from the owls beak and ripped it open as the owl swooped back out into the night.**

**"Enough - effing - owls," muttered Uncle Vernon distractedly, stomping over to the window and slamming it shut again.**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**Further to our letter of approximately twenty-two minutes ago, the Ministry of Magic has revised its decision to destroy your wand forthwith. You may retain your wand until your disciplinary hearing on the twelfth of August, at which time an official decision will be taken.**

**Following discussions with the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry has agreed that the question of your expulsion will also be decided at that time. You should therefore consider yourself suspended from school pending further enquiries.**

**With best wishes,**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Mafalda Hopkirk**

**Improper Use of Magic Office**

**Ministry of Magic**

**Harry read this letter through three times in quick succession. The miserable knot in his chest loosened slightly with the relief of Knowing he was not yet definitely expelled, though his fears were by no means banished. Everything seemed to hang on this hearing on the twelfth of August.**

**"Well?" said Uncle Vernon, recalling Harry to his surroundings. "What now? Have they sentenced you to anything? Do your lot have the death penalty?" he added as a hopeful afterthought.**

"Hopeful?" Hermione said interrupting herself.

"Umm … maybe you should read on before exploding." Harry told her. Glancing down at the page Hermione seemed to swell with indignant rage but when she spoke it was so cold and calm that it sent shivers down many a person's spine.

**"I've got to go to a hearing," said Harry.**

**"And they'll sentence you there?"**

**"I suppose so."**

**"I won't give up hope, then," said Uncle Vernon nastily.**

"What?" Many cried.

"That's it, Dumbledore. I don't care about the blood wards or anything else. He is not going back there, even if I have to kidnap him myself!" Sirius said furiously, "And I swear that if you do anything to prevent me from doing that, then you'll regret it for the rest of your days."

Mrs. Weasley spoke up too when Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, "I agree with Sirius." It was a statement never heard before and it was this that shocked most people from their rages. "I know that it may seem shocking but surely you can tell that Harry shouldn't go there. I know it was initially done for Harry's best interest but I believe letting him return now would be a mistake. It has already been pointed out to me during the reading that I haven't listened when perhaps I should of and I believe that perhaps you have been susceptible to that same flaw."

"Thank you Molly but as I already said we shall discuss this at the end."

**Well, if that's all," said Harry, getting to his feet. He was desperate to be alone, to think, perhaps to send a letter to Ron, Hermione or Sirius.**

**"NO, IT RUDDY WELL IS NOT ALL!" bellowed Uncle Vernon. "SIT BACK DOWN!"**

**"What now?" said Harry impatiently.**

**"DUDLEY!" roared Uncle Vernon. "I want to know exactly what happened to my son!"**

**"FINE!" yelled Harry, and in his temper, red and gold sparks shot out of the end of his wand, still clutched in his hand. All three Dursleys flinched, looking terrified.**

"Good." Was the general consensus uttered around the table.

**"Dudley and I were in the alleyway between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk," said Harry, speaking fast, fighting to control his temper. "Dudley thought he'd be smart with me, I pulled out my wand but didn't use it. Then two Dementors turned up —"**

**"But what ARE Dementoids?" asked Uncle Vernon furiously.**

"Dementoids?" George asked entertained.

"I think we've found our new name for them Gred."

"You might be right Forge."

"You realise that it was Vermin that suggested that right guys?" Ginny said innocently.

They both paled dramatically before going, "ahh you're right, what were you thinking?" "What was I thinking, it was your idea!" They said pointing at each other, gaining a few smiles and chuckles around the room.

**"What do they DO?"**

**"I told you - they suck all the happiness out of you," said Harry, "and if they get the chance, they kiss you -**

**"Kiss you?" said Uncle Vernon, his eyes popping slightly. "Kiss you?"**

**"It's what they call it when they suck the soul out of your mouth."**

**Aunt Petunia uttered a soft scream.**

**"His soul? They didn't take - he's still got his -"**

**She seized Dudley by the shoulders and shook him, as though testing to see whether she could hear his soul rattling around inside him.**

**"Of course they didn't get his soul, you'd know if they had," said Harry, exasperated.**

**"Fought 'em off, did you, son?" said Uncle Vernon loudly, with the appearance of a man struggling to bring the conversation back on to a plane he understood. "Gave 'em the old one-two, did you?"**

"Harry," Neville said leaning across the table, "no offense but your family are idiots."

Harry simply smirked and said, "No offense taken, I completely agree with you and the books haven't even shown them at their worst."

**"You can't give a Dementor the old one-two," said Harry through clenched teeth.**

**"Why's he all right, then?" blustered Uncle Vernon. "Why isn't he all empty, then?"**

**"Because I used the Patronus -"**

**WHOOSH. With a clattering, a whirring of wings and a soft fall of dust, a fourth owl came shooting out of the kitchen fireplace.**

**"FOR GOD'S SAKE!" roared Uncle Vernon, pulling great clumps of hair out of his moustache, something he hadn't been driven to do in a long time. "I WILL NOT HAVE OWLS HERE, I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS, I TELL YOU!"**

**But Harry was already pulling a roll of parchment from the owl's leg. He was so convinced that this letter had to be from Dumbledore, explaining everything - the Dementors, Mrs. Figg, what the Ministry was up to, how he, Dumbledore, intended to sort everything out - that for the first time in his life he was disappointed to see Sirius's handwriting.**

"Sorry," Harry quickly said to Sirius.

"S'alright, I hadn't realised Arthur had already sent you something."

**Ignoring Uncle Vernon's on going rant about owls, and narrowing his eyes against a second cloud of dust as the most recent owl look off back up the chimney, Harry read Sirius's message.**

**Arthur's just told us what's happened. Don't leave the house again, whatever you do.**

**Harry found this such an inadequate response to everything that had happened tonight that he turned the piece of parchment over, looking for the rest of the letter, but there was nothing else.**

**And now his temper was rising again. Wasn't anybody going to say 'well done' for fighting off two Dementors single-handed?**

"Well done Harry!" The twins yelled waving their hands up in the air in celebration.

**Both Mr. Weasley and Sirius were acting as though he'd misbehaved, and were saving their tellings-off until they could ascertain how much damage had been done.**

**"…A peck, I mean, pack of owls shooting in and out of my house. I won't have it, boy, I won't-"**

**"I can't stop the owls coming," Harry snapped, crushing Sirius's letter in his fist.**

**"I want the truth about what happened tonight!" bar ked Uncle Vernon. "If it was Demenders who hurt Dudley, how come you've been expelled? You did you-know-what, you've admitted it!"**

**Harry took a deep, steadying breath. His head was beginning to ache again. He wanted more than anything to get out of the kitchen, and away from the Dursleys.**

"Completely understandable Harry," Luna said dreamily, "they don't seem like very nice people."

"And that's putting it politely," Bill said from his end of the table.

**"I did the Patronus Charm to get rid of the Dementors," he said, forcing himself to remain calm.**

**"But what were Dementoids doing in Little Whinging?" said Uncle Vernon in an outraged tone.**

**"Couldn't tell you," said Harry wearily. "No idea."**

**His head was pounding in the glare of the strip-lighting now. His anger was ebbing away. He felt drained, exhausted. The Dursleys were all staring at him.**

**"It's you," said Uncle Vernon forcefully. "It's got something to do with you, boy, I know it.**

"Well he probably got that right at least," Ron mumbled before being elbowed by Hermione to shut up.

**Why else would they turn up here? Why else would they be down that alleyway? You've got to be the only - the only -" Evidently, he couldn't bring himself to say the word 'wizard' "the only you know-what for miles."**

**"I don't know why they were here."**

**But at Uncle Vernon's words, Harry's exhausted brain had ground back into action. Why had the Dementors come to Little Whinging? How could it be coincidence that they had arrived in the alleyway where Harry was? Had they been sent? Had the Ministry of Magic lost control of the Dementors? Had they deserted Azkaban and joined Voldemort, as Dumbledore had predicted they would?**

"Not yet at least," Harry grumbled.

**These Demembers guard some weirdo's prison?" asked Uncle Vernon, lumbering along in the wake of Harry's train of thought.**

**"Yes," said Harry.**

**If only his head would stop hurting, if only he could just leave the kitchen and get to his dark bedroom and think…**

**"Oho! They were coming to arrest you!" said Uncle Vernon, with the triumphant air of a man reaching an unassailable conclusion. "That's it, isn't it, boy? You're on the run from the law!"**

**"Of course I'm not," said Harry, shaking his head as though to scare off a fly, his mind racing now.**

**"Then why -?"**

**"He must have sent them," said Harry quietly, more to himself than to Uncle Vernon.**

**"What's that? Who must have sent them?"**

**"Lord Voldemort," said Harry.**

"Although possible, doubtful Harry." Dumbledore told the room, "After all you must know by know that Voldemort wants you himself, he wouldn't allow anyone else to the honour."

"I know, I remember," Harry replied, "but you'd think without a soul I'd be easier to kill." It was this offhand comment that caused Dumbledore to stiffen slightly though Harry fancied only he noticed.

When Dumbledore responded though it was in a voice revealing his mind was deep in thought, "Yes, you would think so."

**He registered dimly how strange it was that the Dursleys, who flinched, winced and squawked if they heard words like 'wizard', 'magic' or 'wand', could hear the name of the most evil wizard of all time without the slightest tremor.**

**"Lord - hang on," said Uncle Vernon, his face screwed up, a look of dawning comprehension coming into his piggy eyes. "I've heard that name… that was the one who —**

**"Murdered my parents, yes," Harry said dully**

**"But he's gone," said Uncle Vernon impatiently, without the slightest sign that the murder of Harry's parents might be a painful topic. **

"Git" being the cleanest of exclamations heard to this.

**"That giant bloke said so. He's gone."**

**"He's back," said Harry heavily.**

**It felt very strange to be standing here in Aunt Petunia's surgically clean kitchen, beside the top of-the-range fridge and the wide-screen television, talking calmly of Lord Voldemort to Uncle Vernon. The arrival of the Dementors in Little Whinging seemed to have breached the great, invisible wall that divided the relentlessly non-magical world of Privet Drive and the world beyond, Harry's two lives had somehow become fused and everything had been turned upside-down; the Dursleys were asking for details about the magical world, and Mrs. Figg knew Albus Dumbledore; Dementors were soaring around Little Whinging, and he might never return to Hogwarts. Harry's head throbbed more painfully.**

**"Back?" whispered Aunt Petunia.**

**She was looking at Harry as she had never looked at him before. And all of a sudden, for the very first time in his life, Harry fully appreciated that Aunt Petunia was his mother's sister. He could not have said why this hit him so very powerfully at this moment. All he knew was that he was not the only person in the room who had an inkling of what Lord Voldemort being back might mean.**

"Well I suppose that although she doesn't appear to care, her sister was murdered by Voldemort." Kingsley said sagely.

Harry had never really thought about it like that before but he supposed that if Dudley was murdered by Voldemort he could perhaps empathise with his aunt; as though he didn't like Dudley, he was family and he wouldn't want him killed just like he didn't want to see him kissed.

**Aunt Petunia had never in her life looked at him like that before. Her large, pale eyes (so unlike her sister's) were not narrowed in dislike or anger, they were wide and fearful.**

**The furious pretence that Aunt Petunia had maintained all Harry's life - that there was no magic and no world other than the world she inhabited with Uncle Vernon - seemed to have fallen away.**

**"Yes," Harry said, talking directly to Aunt Petunia now. "He came back a month ago. I saw him."**

**Her hands found Dudley's massive leather-clad shoulders and clutched them.**

Mrs Weasley couldn't help but cluck in an annoyed way hearing this. She understood a mother's need to protect their children from the horrors of the world but at the same time she just couldn't help but be angry that Petunia couldn't extend that motherly instinct to her own nephew!

**"Hang on," said Uncle Vernon, looking from his wife to Harry and back again, apparently dazed and confused by the unprecedented understanding that seemed to have sprung up between them.**

**"Hang on. This Lord Voldything's back, you say."**

**Yes."**

**"The one who murdered your parents."**

**"Yes."**

**"And now he's sending Dismembers after you?"**

**"Looks like it," said Harry.**

**"I see," said Uncle Vernon, looking from his white - faced wife to Harry and hitching up his trousers. He seemed to be swelling, his great purple face stretching before Harry's eyes. "Well, that settles it," he said, his shirt front straining as he inflated himself, "you can get out of this house, boy!"**

"WHAT!"

"That slimy tub of lard better not of said what I think he said," Sirius growled out.

"If you think he told Harry to leave the house then you heard correctly, I didn't think you'd gone deaf in your old age," Tonks said cheekily but you could see her eyes flashing furiously at his words.

"Watch it, Nymphodora, if I'm old then Moony's too." Using her diverted conversation as a way to not leave that very moment and kill the stupid muggle with his bare two hands.

"Nah," she replied calmly, "Everyone knows Azkaban ages you three fold for each year you're in. Why else do you think you look so much like your mother this early on in life."

To say Sirius was gobsmacked would be a massive understatement, it wasn't until Remus said with a smirk that perhaps he should breathe that he realised he'd actually forgotten to even do that in his shock! "Take that back Tonks! That's probably worse than if you said I looked like Snape!" Shivering in disgust.

Snape, who also was shocked by Harry's treatment of the muggle and struggling to reconcile himself that the Potter clone might only be that way in looks, suddenly bared his teeth at Sirius.

"Well that's what you get when you call me Nymphodora," smirking at her revenge.

"I can't believe I'm even related to you," Sirius muttered glaring at her. He turned to Harry about to ask for his support when he saw him sitting very rigidly biting his lips that Sirius' puppy eyes turned into a glare and asked, "What?"

It was the final straw for Harry, who had tried so hard to not laugh at Sirius' misfortune burst into whole hearted laughter. It brought smiles and laughs from many around the table, though for Ron and Hermione it was a sad smile. Harry had laughed and smiled many times since he'd returned to Hogwarts this year though it was never as free as it was now; it was like seeing a light return to the world they once feared was lost. It was with great reluctance that Hermione continued to read once the laughter had died down.

"**What?" said Harry.**

**"You heard me - OUT!" Uncle Vernon bellowed, and even Aunt Petunia and Dudley jumped.**

**"OUT! OUT! I should've done this years ago! Owls treating the place like a rest home, puddings exploding, half the lounge destroyed, Dudley's tail, Marge bobbing around on the ceiling and that flying Ford Anglia **

Throughout this the atmosphere had slightly tensed up again but Harry who had already heard all this thought nothing of it. In fact when Uncle Vernon began listing off the incidents throughout the years it looked more like he was caught up in a wistful fantasy, when it came up to the car though Harry couldn't help but smile happily at Ron, Fred and George who were whooping and high-fiving each other.

**- OUT! OUT! You've had it! You're history! You're not staying here if some loony's after you, you're not endangering my wife and son, you're not bringing trouble down on us. If you're going the same way as your useless parents, I've had it! OUT!"**

**Harry stood rooted to the spot. The letters from the Ministry, Mr. Weasley and Sirius were all crushed in his left hand. Don't leave the house again, whatever you do. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE.**

**"You heard me!" said Uncle Vernon, bending forward now, his massive purple face coming so close to Harry's, he actually felt flecks of spit hit his face. "Get going! You were all keen to leave half an hour ago! I'm right behind you! Get out and never darken our doorstep again! Why we ever kept you in the first place, I don't know, Marge was right, it should have been the orphanage. We were too damn soft for our own good, thought we could squash it out of you, thought we could turn you normal, but you've been rotten from the beginning and I've had enough - owls!"**

"I can't understand why he's saying that," Luna said sadly, "From what I know of Harry there's nothing rotten about him at all."

Embarrassed Harry replied, "Thank you Luna but the rotten thing he was talking about was my magic, in their world magic makes me a freak and a threat to their normality, though my Uncle was right about one thing, Aunt Marge was correct in saying I'd be better off in an orphanage than in their household. It's strange that that's the one thing me and her could ever agree upon."

Hearing Harry declare this many of the people in the kitchen sent a glare towards Dumbledore, whether they believed in Dumbledore's plan or not.

**The fifth owl zoomed down the chimney so fast it actually hit the floor before zooming into the air again with a loud screech. Harry raised his hand to seize the letter, which was in a scarlet envelope, but it soared straight over his head, flying directly at Aunt Petunia, who let out a scream and ducked, her arms over her face. The owl dropped the red envelope on her head, turned, and flew straight back up the chimney.**

"A Howler?" Ginny, Fred and George asked in quite different tones, Ginny's was more curious whereas the twins were grinning in anticipation.

"Not a very good one, sorry guys." Harry chuckled at the disappointed looks on the boys' faces.

**Harry darted forwards to pick up the letter, but Aunt Petunia beat him to it.**

**"You can open it if you like," said Harry, "but I'll hear what it says anyway. That's a Howler."**

**"Let go of it, Petunia!" roared Uncle Vernon. "Don't touch it, it could be dangerous!"**

"Well he got that right at least." Both Neville and Tonks said at the same time before looking at each other in surprise. Unfortunately for Neville he then went rather red as Tonks grinned and winked at him.

**"It's addressed to me," said Aunt Petunia in a shaking voice. "It's addressed to me, Vernon, look! Mrs. Petunia Dursley, The Kitchen, Number Four, Privet Drive –"**

**She caught her breath, horrified. The red envelope had begun to smoke.**

**"Open it!' Harry urged her. "Get it over with! It'll happen anyway."**

**"No."**

**Aunt Petunia's hand was trembling. She looked wildly around the kitchen as though looking for an escape route, but too late -the envelope burst into flames. Aunt Petunia screamed and dropped it.**

**An awful voice filled the kitchen, echoing in the confined space, issuing from the burning letter on the table.**

"I thought you said it wasn't a very good one!" Fred accused Harry.

Smirking slightly Harry just told Hermione to read on.

_**Remember my last, Petunia.**_

"Oh."

"Yeah." Harry said sighing, "Wish I understood what it meant though because it obviously meant something to Aunt Petunia but she obviously hadn't gotten a Howler before that incident."

Then Sirius sat bolt upright so suddenly Harry thought for sure someone had jinxed him before seeing the broad, slightly maniacal grin across his face.

"What?" Harry asked cautiously.

"Oh, nothing you need to worry your moppy little head about I just thought that your Aunt could do with getting some mail from me shortly."

Although slightly annoyed at the moppy comment Harry couldn't help but grin with the others, though made a mental note to ask Remus to check the mail Sirius sent beforehand as knowing Sirius he wouldn't just stop with Howlers.

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she might faint. She sank into the chair beside Dudley, her face in her hands. The remains of the envelope smouldered into ash in the silence.**

**"What is this?" Uncle Vernon said hoarsely. "What - I don't -Petunia?"**

**Aunt Petunia said nothing. Dudley was staring stupidly at his mother, his mouth hanging open.**

**The silence spiralled horribly. Harry was watching his aunt, utterly bewildered, his head throbbing fit to burst.**

**"Petunia, dear?" said Uncle Vernon timidly. "P-Petunia?"**

**She raised her head. She was still trembling. She swallowed.**

**"The boy - the boy will have to stay, Vernon," she said weakly.**

**"W-what?"**

"**He stays," she said. She was not looking at Harry. She got to her feet again.**

**"He… but Petunia…"**

**"If we throw him out, the neighbours will talk," she said. She was rapidly regaining her usual brisk, snappish manner, though she was still very pale. "They'll ask awkward questions, they'll want to know where he's gone. We'll have to keep him."**

"Of course that would be her reasoning," Ginny said waspily, "not that a whole magnitude of bad things could happen to Harry if he was kicked out."

"That isn't her real reason though Ginny," said Harry thoughtfully, "I mean they could of just told their neighbours that they refused to have a 'criminal' under their roof anymore and that I had gone to live in a detention centre or something. I really wish I knew her real reasoning there though."

**Uncle Vernon was deflating like an old tire.**

**"But Petunia, dear –"**

**Aunt Petunia ignored him. She turned to Harry. "You're to stay in your room," she said. "You're not to leave the house. Now get to bed."**

**Harry didn't move.**

"Of course," said Hermione, Ron and Neville sighing with slight smiles on their faces. Knowing what they were talking about Harry just pouted at them.

**"Who was that Howler from?"**

**"Don't ask questions," Aunt Petunia snapped.**

**"Are you in touch with wizards?"**

**"I told you to get to bed!"**

**"What did it mean? Remember the last what?"**

**"Go to bed!"**

**"How come -?"**

**"YOU HEARD YOUR AUNT, NOW GET TO BED!"**

"And that's the end of the chapter." Hermione finished, placing the book back down on the table.

"Alright everyone, how about we all re-converge tomorrow at 9am, Mr Longbottom, Miss Lovegood I hope you're alright with staying here for the next few nights I'm sure Sirius and Molly will help set up a room for you both."

"Of course," Sirius said quickly, "But not so fast there Dumbledore, it's now the end of the chapter so I want a word with you."

"Very well, how about we talk about this in the living room, I'm afraid it'll have to be quick though as I want to check what Dolores has been up to in my absence." Dumbledore said moving swiftly towards the kitchen door and up the stairs.

"OK Remus can you set up a bed for Neville, in Ron and Harry's room and help Tonksy here set up Luna in the girl's room? You guys don't mind sharing do you?"

"No" was the resounding reply in the room at the same time as Tonks went, "What's that suppose to mean? I can help Luna all by myself, I helped Harry pack remember! And Tonksy? Seriously?"

Smirking Sirius chose not to reply instead turning to Harry quietly telling him that once he was through with Dumbledore he'd be coming to talk to Harry tonight too. Everyone then started leaving the kitchen talking about what they read and what the next few days surely had in store for them.

**Next chapter will be all the conversations being had. I know it's been forever but I hate author notes so I refused to put one up saying it's taking forever due to major writers block. I won't ever give this up though so whenever inspiration hits, I'll be writing for this story.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN Hey guys, in general very little has put me in the mood for writing and I had 3 coursework pieces in for the beginning of march and 4 pieces for the end, stupid university. I'm trying to write more often but once a month is probably all I can do as I don't want to rush it, got one more coursework piece for the end of this month and then exams next month (why did I decide to do maths?), then I'm free for summer. I'll never give up on or forget this story so if I don't post over summer it's because I'm having too good of a time so am definitely not in the dark teenage mind frame. I'm saying this now so you're forewarned and I won't ever post an author's note by itself, gives readers false hope I feel.  
>I don't own the Harry Potters characters or anything, they all go to Jo.<strong>

_Grimmauld Place living room_

Sirius trailed into the room after Dumbledore along with Molly who he grudgingly let come with him only on the basis that she backed him up on getting Harry out of the Dursley's house.

"Alright then Sirius before you start your argument I would like for you know that no matter what Harry must go back there for his own protection, the blood wards are the only thing that keeps Harry safe from Voldemort and his death eaters over the summer period." Dumbledore said calmly, sitting down on an armchair in front of the fireplace.

"Well now that you've got your utterly pointless comment out of the way, I'd like to have my say now. Harry is my godson and so it is no-one but myself that gets to decide what's best for Harry regardless of how much they also care for him." He said this obviously directed at both Molly and Dumbledore. "In the time I was locked up I was also kept sane by the secure knowledge that Harry would have been cared for, knowing the wishes of his parents and that his happiness was the number one priority at the time. Harry is alive but obviously abused; you knew something was wrong with Harry's situation based on Arabella's knowledge. You should have allowed Remus access to Harry while he was growing up or at least sent a wizard round every so often to check everything was on the level with them. You didn't do this and although he's miraculously turned out into an amazing person, he has by no means had the life that he deserves, the life that anyone bloody deserves! As for your point on Harry being protected from Voldemort and co. there, how was it that dementors were able to get near him? He isn't protected by all methods at Voldemort's disposal, so congratulations Dumbledore you've kept him alive, in a miserable existence but now is the time to stop that nonsense, the Order can provide the necessary protection for Harry so that he never has to return there ever again!"

By the end of Sirius's passionate speech his chest was heavy in emotion and had practically yelled the last part. Dumbledore had sat calmly examining him over the top of his half-moon glasses and was about to respond when Molly interrupted.

"He's right Dumbledore. Harry always looks so sick and skinnier than he should after coming from that house than when I see him coming off the Hogwarts Express. Surely you can see what's best for Harry isn't what you're saying."

"My dear Molly, the blood magic on that house is more important than you could possibly comprehend, Harry must return there each summer."

"For someone claiming to be so wise you are making some very stupid mistakes at the moment. Fine then let me ask you this, how long does Harry have to be in that house for, for the blood wards to remain in tack?" Sirius retorted angrily.

"I believe two weeks is a sufficient amount –"

"Two weeks?" yelled Sirius.

"Dumbledore, if two weeks is enough then why was Harry left at the Dursley's basically all summer?" Molly asked shocked.

"Because if Harry was here then he would want to know what was going on, to join the fight with us. Harry has a knack for finding things out and the longer he's out of the real fighting the better, after what he's been through he needs as much peace as we can give him, surely you understand that?"

Unfortunately Molly could see his point and seemed to be having an internal battle over what was the best course of action pertaining to Harry. Sirius however snorted.

"You really are going senile in your old age if you really think that. Hasn't the book shown you anything so far? You keeping him there only made him miserable and angry, he'd be happier if we were just honest with him. And you wonder why he has such little faith in adults. I hope by the end of the books that all your mistakes are laid out for us all to see. Harry was tortured, used as a bloody potions ingredient in Voldemort's return and forced to watch a fellow student die, do you really think isolation was the best thing for him?"

For the first time Dumbledore looked somewhat guilty, "Harry has to return to the Dursley's, his grief at the time would only have been for a couple of months then he would have returned to school-"

"A couple of months!" Molly and Sirius yelled.

"Do you really think that Harry would have lasted until September on the letters we were sending him?"

"Are you even thinking about his emotional welfare here? You said a couple of weeks was necessary and if we can't keep secrets from the children then how are we possibly meant to help defeat You-Know-Who? I would personally prefer Harry safe here with the minimum risk of him discovering something than with those, those, those muggle death eaters, because that's what they essentially are Dumbledore."

Dumbledore opened his mouth to respond but Sirius cut across him. He knew that Dumbledore wasn't going to back down and also knew that Dumbledore could do many things to prevent Sirius from getting Harry before he was meant to return or find some way to make Harry think that returning was the best policy.

"No. Molly is right about what they are but given you're being so senseless and stubborn about this though I'll compromise with you or else we'll be here forever. Harry will go back there for two weeks exactly, I however will be going with him. To the neighbours it will look like Harry has gained a pet dog, I'll make sure that the Dursley's know exactly who I am though, ensuring they're on their best behaviour, something you should of done a long time ago. Also," Sirius continued as it looked like Dumbledore was going to say something about this, "I can't possibly be caught while there, as the ministry don't know I'm an animagus and as you said Voldemort and his followers can't touch Harry while he's there and given I'll always be with him I'll be fine too. So unless you'd like to rescind what you said about that particular point then there should be no problem with my proposition."

There was a long pause as they all processed the idea trying to find fault with it. After a while Dumbledore asked, "And what about after those two weeks are up? You know you'll have to return here, where is Harry to go?"

"He can go wherever he chooses. He can come stay here with me or if the Weasley's are back at the Burrow next summer then he can go there, I'm assuming that will be ok with you Molly?" Sirius said smirking slightly.

"Of course, Arthur and I are always happy to have Harry over during the holidays."

Finally Dumbledore stood up and said, "Very well, I'll think this over and figure out the plans that need to be put into place for this to happen." Then he strode out of the room leaving an overjoyed Molly and a bittersweet Sirius in his wake.

_Boy's room_

Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Neville each reeled in their extendable ear. Remus had left not two minutes after setting up the room to help Tonks with the girl's room, then the twins had apparated into their room with the listening devices.

Harry had cringed when Sirius said he was abused, not only because that wasn't a word he ever associated with himself but it also caused the others to throw glances in his direction. Yet at the same time he was touched by how much Sirius obviously cared about him. He turned to talk to Ron when he noticed a big grin across his face.

"What are you smiling about then?" Harry asked.

"Probably the same reason you've got a goofy smile plastered across your face," Ron replied, it was then Harry realised he was smiling widely too, "Just imagining the look on your Aunt and Uncle's faces when they find out your convicted murderer godfather is going to be staying with them for a couple of weeks."

Looking at the others he realised the other boys were smiling too, Neville's was more one of genuine happiness for Harry whereas the twin's was far more wicked; Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Sirius would be getting some donated WWW products for his stay with him. Suddenly he heard Sirius down the corridor asking Remus to join him in his room when he was finished clearing up after Tonk's mess and then what sounded distinctly like Sirius dodging a curse sent his way, which Harry could only suppose was done by Tonks. Sirius then knocked once before bounding into the room, a new bounce in his step being very apparent.

"Alright then pride of the Gryffindor house I'm just going to borrow my godson for a while," Sirius said with a smile that made him look 10 years younger, then called back to them as he steered Harry out of the room, "You might want to hide the ears boys before your mum sees them."

As soon as the door swung shut behind him, Sirius placed his arm around Harry's shoulder pulling him into his side while walking up the corridor and stairs.

"So then, you heard everything then?"

"Yep, you should know Aunt Petunia hates animals, especially dogs."

Grinning evilly Sirius simply responded, "All the better for me then I guess."

"Sirius." Harry hesitated before continuing, "Is there no way for my dog Snuffles to come to the Weasley's too next summer?"

He tried to make light of it but there must have been some sadness that leaked through as Sirius squeezed him slightly before saying softly, "I don't think so Harry, it might be but I'd have to stay in dog form all the time and I don't think Molly would appreciate me peeing in her garden."

Harry let out a small chuckle at that and Sirius went on, "You never know the Rat might have been caught by then and I'd be proved innocent, to the magical world at least. If not at least I got to spend a couple of weeks out in the open with my favourite godson."

"I'm your only godson, Sirius." Harry pointed out rolling his eyes.

"At the moment yes but I'm trying to get Moony hooked up with this girl I know, then when he has his litter of wolf cubs I know I'll be godfather to all of them."

Harry looked at him amused and said, "I don't know, Remus has always struck me as the smart one."

"Oi." Sirius yelped then put Harry in a headlock messing up his already very messy hair.

"Hey! Stop! I'm sorry!"

Sirius released him and they continued across the landing to Sirius's room then Harry paused as he realised just what Sirius had said.

"Does that mean that if Remus has kids they'll be werewolves too?"

"Huh? Oh well I don't think so after all the curse is passed along by the bite, me and James did some research before trying to assuage some of Remus's fears but there isn't any evidence either way at least not on public record anyway. What do you think?" Sirius said throwing open his bedroom door.

"Well," Harry then paused admiring Sirius's room, "I think you've got a lot of nerve putting up this stuff while your mother was still alive."

"Yeah but the screams were worth it knowing that this stuff would still be in their house while I wasn't." Sirius replied with a grin.

Harry laughed before continuing, "Anyway I was going to say that I don't think Remus has anything to worry about. He's been cursed, it doesn't change his DNA though so given it's not genetic any children of his won't have it, that isn't the way curses work is it?"

"No it isn't, though the Potters use to joke about the curse of the Potter hair as your father, grandfather and great-grandfather all had it. Remus just worries because there is no evidence either way, most females that get bitten can no longer have children because they change every month and as werewolves become outcasts in society generally male werewolves don't really find partners that aren't werewolves themselves."

Harry stood there with his eyebrows furrowed. He knew that this world wasn't fair but also knew family was the most important thing a person could have and finding out that that someone as good as Remus was denied it because of stupid prejudices whereas people like Lucius Malfoy were allowed it when they were evil through and through made Harry's blood boil.

"Harry."

He looked up and found Sirius looking at him with an understanding look on his face. Sirius patted the space next to him on the bed and he understood it as an invitation to sit down. Once he was seated cross-legged on the bed facing the headboard Sirius began to speak.

"We, perhaps better than most people, understand the injustice that plagues the world yet we keep fighting. One day it is going to be revealed that Voldemort is finally back and the people, fickle as they are, will start supporting you again. Eventually _he_ will be defeated and although you hate it now you will have influence within the ministry when that happens because of what's happened between you, Voldemort and the rest of the world. Even if I'm proven innocent I won't be able to help improve the world for people like Remus, the ones we're prejudice against, at least not on a wide scale. That won't be the case for you though. I think that once this is all over you can help pass the right sort of laws to make this world better, I'm sure Hermione will be right by your side, probably working where Amelia Bones is at the moment, pushing through all her house elf bills. So just let go of the frustration now, do whatever you can now and remember one day you will be able to help change this. Besides," Sirius suddenly changed from his serious (no pun intended) tone to a very chipper and cheeky one, "if my inklings surrounding Moony's love life play out then I'm sure the wife and kids questions will be answered sooner rather than later."

It was at that moment that Remus knocked and entered Sirius's room. Looking at how they were seated on the bed made him smile, having flashback to when James and Sirius would sometimes sit like that in the dorm room whenever they were talking about something solemn and how when they were younger they would deny any such talks saying, 'what did he think they were, girls?'. He realised that if James was alive, if Sirius hadn't been wrongfully imprisoned that Harry would of probably been in this situation many times already and ironically thought they're discussion topic; that life isn't fair.

"Hey, finished with the girls. Tonks kept complaining about the beds, first it was too hard, then it was too soft, in the end I said 'who does she think she is, Goldilocks?' and of course she changed herself into Goldilocks, but we got there in the end, I left her trying to convince the girls that bubblegum-pink was the best colour to have their bedding. Have I missed much?"

"Nope, just discussing life, injustice and the future, you know small talk." Sirius said impishly.

"Ah of course, nothing at all then," Remus replied rolling his eyes.

"OK Harry back to business. You already know what'll be happening next summer but let's talk about the Dursleys."

"What about them?"

Both Sirius and Remus could see that Harry was already on the defensive so decided to go for the safer option first.

"They gave you Dudley's old hand-me-downs." Remus said, "Have they always done that?"

Harry thought for a moment then said, "I think so, their logic was, what was the point on spending good money on me when there was Dudley's things, children outgrow things quickly enough."

"You're not a child anymore though –"

"Glad someone can see that." Harry mumbled.

Sirius continued like he hadn't been interrupted, "and you're still wearing those sort of clothes."

Sighing Harry simply said, "Look, we all know that they don't like me, be grateful they clothed me at all, I'm at Hogwarts for the majority of the year wearing robes, so my muggle clothes look like this it really doesn't matter to me."

Sirius was angered by 'be grateful they clothed me at all' comment but continued on, "Harry you're missing my point, they can obviously afford to buy new clothes, look at it from a safety standpoint if you want if you were caught duelling in muggle clothing then the clothes that are too big for you could get in the way, the trainers that are falling apart could make it harder to run away if stones get inside or something."

Harry knew that Sirius was grasping at straws, especially give he fought dementors that summer in muggle clothing and nothing like that had happened but at the same time he knew that knowing his luck something like that could happen the next time and so resigned himself to whatever Sirius was going to suggest. Seeing the look of almost condescending acceptance Sirius couldn't help but scowl playfully back at him and played his point while he could.

"OK, well we'll probably all be taking a break from the reading on Christmas day and probably won't resume the reading until late on Boxing day. So given we're in London and everything there are sales I think on muggle clothing starting Boxing day." Here Sirius paused looking between Harry and Remus for confirmation on this and continued when he got the nod from Harry, "I say that Tonks and Remus here take you shopping, I'll give Tonks the money so you don't need to worry about it or anything, consider it part of your Christmas gift, get Ron and Remus stuff too-"

"Sirius!"

"Just get some new stuff that fits you, OK?"

Harry just looked at him. He was touched that Sirius cared so much about him but he really wanted to tell him that he didn't need anything at the moment, that even though they were ill-fitted they did their job so why would he need new stuff. At the same time he was surprised that Sirius hadn't kicked up more of a fuss about the Dursley's attitude towards him and this was one of the more tame suggestions Sirius could have come up with. So Harry resigned himself to some clothe shopping as he highly suspected that if he denied Sirius and had to give his reasons then things could be a lot worse.

"Alright Sirius, why Remus and Tonks by the way? Not that I'm complaining," Harry hastily added onto the end glancing at Remus.

"For one you'd have to go with some protection, secondly," Sirius had to raise his voice to speak over Harry's protests here, "you'll need a woman's eye and I thought you'd prefer Tonks to Molly and Remus is going as the second part of the guard and to calm Tonks down when she gets too overexcited."

All three of them were smiling by the end of Sirius's rationalisation and fell into silence for a minute. Harry could feel the mood becoming more grim and knew that Sirius was going to ask more about his home life, so he decided to fake sleepiness.

Yawning loudly he said, "Well, I better be getting off to bed, got to be up early tomorrow for the reading and stuff."

"You can't really be tired Harry, it's barely after ten." Remus said while Sirius's eyes narrowed at him in suspicion.

"Yeah well I haven't exactly been sleeping well the last couple of nights due to the attack and thinking I was being possessed and stuff, so if you could just-"

"Wait a minute," Sirius interrupted, "why would you think you were being possessed?"

"I know I'm not now but no-one could tell me why I had the dream or those feelings I had afterwards, the only one that probably knows has been ignoring me all year."

"Harry, why didn't you tell us about this?"

"I did! I told you Sirius! I told you and you just said it was something left over from the vision. I don't know if you actually believe that but I know that's not right and so you couldn't give me the answers I needed, so what was the point in saying anything when I couldn't get the truth? It's fine now as I understand it a bit more but I'm hoping these books will eventually reveal everything, so goodnight."

Harry then sprang off the bed and headed to the door upon which Remus was leaning.

"Harry-"

Remus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder as Harry reached for the door handle. Looking at each other Remus said, "Can you please just wait a moment, I know that Sirius wants to ask you about your life at the Dursleys' and it's something I would like to know the truth about too."

"I really do just want to go to bed," Harry said tiredly.

"OK well let me just ask you one last thing. Did the Dursleys ever do anything that you haven't told us, I mean the books would probably reveal it in time if they did? So please don't think you have to sugar-coat or hide anything from us." Sirius said flatly.

Harry froze for a second thinking, he couldn't imagine any of the past manhandlings being in the books and he had moved out of the cupboard when he was 10 and he never intended on anyone finding out that titbit of information so he decided to hope that luck was on his side for this.

"The Dursleys were horrible to me but they never abused me, not like how you think anyway, I've told you what they've done, I wasn't lying in the kitchen when I said he'd never hit me before."

Perhaps it was because it was technically the truth Sirius and Remus both seemed to accept this and Remus stood aside to let Harry pass.

"Thanks guys, I do know you care and I appreciate it. Goodnight." Harry called as he closed the door behind him.

**Let me know if there's anything you think I should have improved upon here, reviews are always nice :)**


End file.
